Japan still wants to sign a peace treaty with Russia

(Dan Tri) - On November 29, the Japanese government leader announced his commitment to resolving "territorial issues and signing a peace treaty with Russia" despite ongoing complications in bilateral relations.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (Photo: Reuters).

"Russia-Japan relations are currently in a bad state, but our country will continue to seek a solution to the territorial issue and conclude a peace treaty," Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba noted.

Prime Minister Ishiba repeated this statement verbatim in a speech in October, when he delivered his first policy speech since the parliamentary elections.

Moscow and Tokyo have been negotiating a peace treaty to mark the end of World War II since the mid-20th century. The main stumbling block is the issue of jurisdiction over the Southern Kuril Islands (known as the Northern Territories in Japan).

After World War II, the entire archipelago was annexed by the Soviet Union. However, Japan disputes ownership of the islands of Iturup, Kunashir, and Shikotan, along with several smaller uninhabited islands.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stressed the country's indisputable sovereignty over these islands, which is enshrined in international documents.

After Tokyo imposed sanctions against Russia over the situation in Ukraine, Russia suspended peace treaty negotiations with Japan and stopped dialogue on joint economic activities on the Southern Kuril Islands. In addition, Moscow refused to extend partner status to Tokyo in the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/nhat-ban-van-muon-ky-hiep-uoc-hoa-binh-voi-nga-20241129204813812.htm