New Japan-Russia Framework Effective: Suga

December 3, 2018

Tokyo--Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Monday that a new framework toward conclusion of a peace treaty between Japan and Russia is "effective."

The framework, agreed on between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, "is meaningful and effective to accelerate negotiations," Suga told a press conference. "We are moving forward step by step," he added.

Under the new framework, Japanese and Russian deputy foreign ministers will lead the negotiations on the treaty and territorial matters concerning four Russian-held islands off Japan's Hokkaido as special envoys of Abe and Putin, respectively. Jiji Press