Russia suddenly withdraws from nuclear disarmament agreement with Japan

Russian nuclear submarine Generalissimo Suvorov (Photo: RT).

Documents posted on the Russian government's official online portal show that Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a decree suspending the deal from November 7.

"Terminates the agreement between the Russian government and the Japanese government signed on October 13, 1993 in Tokyo on cooperation in eliminating nuclear weapons in Russia and establishing a cooperation committee for this purpose," the document states.

Moscow did not give a reason for the decision, but said the Russian Foreign Ministry had been instructed to inform Japan about the move.

Meanwhile, Japan's NHK news agency quoted the country's Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu as saying that Tokyo had not received any notice of Russia's decision and unilaterally expressed regret over the move.

"We feel regretful about Russia's decision, which was made unilaterally without informing Japan. We plan to confirm specific information through diplomatic channels," Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary said at a press conference on November 10.

In 1993, Russia agreed with its Vladivostok-based Pacific Fleet to stop dumping liquid radioactive waste into the Sea of Japan, but asked richer countries to help them process the waste for burial underground.

Under the 1993 agreement, Tokyo will provide Moscow with financial and technical assistance in dismantling weapons, including the dismantling of decommissioned Russian nuclear submarines abandoned in the Far East, a sea area near Japan.

A special committee was set up to identify priority areas for cooperation and exchange information and research results. However, Japanese media reported that the work has stalled because Moscow has stopped sending necessary data to Tokyo.

Moscow's relations with Tokyo have deteriorated sharply since Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine in February and after Japan and other Western countries imposed strong sanctions against Russia.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/nga-bat-ngo-rut-khoi-thoa-thuan-giai-tru-hat-nhan-voi-nhat-ban-20231110165109778.htm