Japan’s foreign policy strategy guidelines, due to be published in late April, reiterate the stipulation that the islands are an “intrinsic” part of Japan’s territory.
The planned change in foreign policy reflects – according to the Japanese daily “Mainichi” – Tokyo’s rejection of a conciliatory approach to the dispute with Russia over the ownership of the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and Habomai – called the Northern Territories by Japan and the Southern Kurils by Russia.
Kuril Islands dispute. “Russia has no intention of continuing negotiations with Japan”
Japan did not sign a formal peace treaty with Russia after World War II because of a dispute over four islands that Japan calls the Northern Territories and Russia calls the Southern Kurils. The Red Army occupied them in 1945, along with the rest of the Kuril Islands, just after Japan surrendered. Tokyo says that was illegal.
Earlier this week, Russia announced that it was withdrawing from further peace treaty negotiations with Japan.
Moscow said Tokyo was taking an “unfriendly position” on the war in Ukraine. “Russia has no intention of continuing negotiations with Japan on a peace treaty in the current situation,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said, as quoted by AFP.
The ministry added that “it is impossible to talk about signing fundamental documents on bilateral relations with a country that openly takes hostile positions and seeks to harm the interests” of Russia.
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