Japan, Russia Hold Talks on Joint Activities on Disputed Isles

February 6, 2018

Tokyo- Japan and Russia on Tuesday held a meeting to accelerate discussions on details of proposed joint economic activities on the northwestern Pacific islands at the center of the two countries' territorial dispute.

The two sides aim to reach an agreement on the matter at a planned summit in Russia in May between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The day's meeting was attended by Japanese Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Takeo Mori and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov. The two are believed to have exchanged views on the joint economic activities and a framework for the movement of people between their countries.

Abe and Putin have agreed to speed up talks to devise specific joint economic projects on the Russian-held islands in the five fields of tourism, wind power generation, aquaculture, greenhouse vegetable culture and waste reduction by around spring.

At the outset of the meeting, Mori said he wants to have "frank discussions" to steadily advance talks on projects in the five fields.

Japan and Russia can achieve qualitative results by jointly resolving immediate challenges, Morgulov said.

"In the run-up to the prime minister's Russia visit, we'll aim to realize progress in various ways," Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono told a press conference prior to the bilateral meeting.

The four islands, located off Hokkaido, northernmost Japan, were seized by the former Soviet Union from Japan at the end of World War II. The territorial dispute has prevented Tokyo and Moscow from concluding a peace treaty to formally end their wartime hostilities. Jiji Press