Russia Says Japan Needs Time on Peace Treaty Proposal

September 17, 2018

Moscow- Russia thinks Japan needs time to take a stance about President Vladimir Putin's peace treaty proposal, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Sunday.

Such an initiative brings complicated matters to Japan both on foreign and domestic policy fronts, Peskov said on state television.

It is quite understandable and normal to take some time before coming to a decision, he said.

At an economic conference in Russia's Vladivostok on Wednesday in which Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was present, Putin proposed that Tokyo and Moscow sign a peace treaty without any preconditions by the end of this year.

The proposal drew controversy in Japan. On Wednesday, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Tokyo remains committed to resolving a territorial dispute with Moscow before signing a peace treaty.

Peskov said Abe himself did not respond to the proposal.

Putin's proposal was intended to help an atmosphere of mutual trust spread between the two countries, the presidential spokesman said.

The two countries are strategically on the same path, though there are certain nuances in their approaches, Peskov said. Negotiations will continue, he said.

The territorial dispute over four northwestern Pacific islands held by Russia but claimed by Japan prevents the two sides from concluding a peace treaty to formally end their World War II hostilities. The islands were seized from Japan by Soviet troops in the closing days of the war. Jiji Press