Russia and Japan Discuss Over Island Territory

Three steps forward and three steps back..?

*Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso met Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on an island near disputed resource-rich maritime territory, hoping to make progress toward resolving a dispute lingering since World war 2. It is the first time a Japanese premier has set foot on the island of Sakhalin, 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo, since Russia claimed a series of nearby small islands in the final days of World War 2, Japan's Foreign Ministry said. The island is only 30 miles (50 kilometers) from Japan's northern main island of Hokkaido. Aso said he hopes the visit will strengthen strategic relations with Russia and lay the groundwork for a settlement of the row, which has prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending the war. The area in question is a cluster of islands between the two countries, known in Japan as the Northern Territories and the southern Kurils in Russia, amid rich fishing grounds and billions of dollars worth of undersea gas and oil reserves. Although the Japanese side hopes to see some progress in a territorial dispute over the islands off Hokkaido, known as the northern territories, resolving the issue will be fraught with difficulties. On the surface at least, the Russian side appears to have engaged in a political maneuver over the territorial issue despite having proposed the summit meeting. The Japanese Foreign Ministry believes the latest problem will be resolved, with the two leaders likely to agree that discussions should continue over the issue. But some experts on Russian affairs have grown concerned over Russia's stance. Nagao Hyodo, former director general of the Foreign Ministry's European and Oceanic Affairs Bureau, who helped draw up the framework for visa-free visits by former Japanese residents of the islands and Russian islanders, questioned whether Aso realized how serious the problem is. "It's likely that the Russian side believes Japan will compromise if it exerts some pressure," he said. "The prime minister should engage in deep discussions on the issue at the summit meeting."

ニュースアニメ「領土問題「今世代で解決」、日ロ首脳が一致」
麻生太郎首相は、ロシア極東のサハリン（樺太）で、メドベージェフ大統領と会談し、北方領土問題の進展に向け交渉を急ぐことで合意した。会談後、首相は「新たな、独創的で­型にはまらないアプローチで、われわれの世代で解決すべく、具体的な作業を加速することで一致した」と表明。領土問題をめぐっては、平和条約締結後に歯舞、色丹両島を引き­渡すとした１９５６年の日ソ共同宣言から譲歩しないロシアと、４島とも日本に帰属するとした日本との立場の隔たりが埋まらず、平行線が続いている。首相は「向こうが２島、­こっちが４島では全く進展しない」と指摘。事態打開に強い意欲を示した。欧州向けを中心としてきたロシアの資源戦略は近年、天然ガスの供給停止問題で不安定さを露呈してい­る。多角化を図るためアジア太平洋市場に目を向けるロシアにとって、日本とのエネルギー協力拡大はその突破口として重要。他の分野を含めた日本の高い技術力も魅力だ。ただ­ロシアでは、北方領土問題が未解決のままでも経済関係拡大は可能との考えも依然根強い。

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• genseisha
• world
• leader
• Japan
• Aso
• Taro
• Russia
• Dmitry
• Medvedev
• northern
• territories
• Sakhalin
• 麻生太郎
• メドベージェフ
• 日本
• ロシア
• 北方領土
• サハリン
• 幻生社
• 国後島
• 択捉島
• 色丹島
• 歯舞
• 千島

[toki1221]

@termogard I hope you should study history a little better, thank you;)

[termogard]

@toki1221

As far as I know, Kurils and Sakhalin islands belong to Russian Federation. You should study geography a little better ;)



[toki1221]

@termogard Chinks are just frustrated with their personal grudge and jealousy against Japan and who cares? This is none of business to slant eyed yellow scums. Kuril and Sakhalin belong to Jomon/Ainu Japanese and Russia should return these islands at once! Мы поняли Ваши проблемы... Пройдет с возрастом.

[termogard]

@fy6 Since what time a dirty chink dare to determine who is Asian and who is not? :) Crawl back to your asshole and dog the hatch!

[JapanAsCool]

tmddus1478

I knew how you would rebut things.

Childish :p

[Evgeny161179]

@ucg3437 I didn't know we had enemies in Turkey! Ok. I wonder if you would say the same to the USA. If the USSR doesn't exist any more, it doesn't matter that we have become weaker.

[aethelwond99]

@RoyalPrussian hehe..sorry...i tought ur one of the guys that seeks revenge..im a fan of prussia too :D

[RoyalPrussian]

@aethelwond99 why should i hate millions of people because of something that happened centuries ago and has no effect on me today?

[aethelwond99]

@RoyalPrussian oooh...i tougt you hate russia because of the russo-turkish war :)

[RoyalPrussian]

@aethelwond99 well im a turk and i dont hate russia.... but i just find japan awesome :D