Japan says ties with Russia remain difficult after ministerial contact

Japan’s foreign minister said ties with Russia remain strained but stressed the importance of maintaining dialogue, following a brief exchange with his Russian counterpart on the sidelines of regional meetings in Manila.

Toshimitsu Motegi said he spoke informally with Sergei Lavrov during events linked to ASEAN, describing the interaction as a short conversation between “old acquaintances” covering bilateral ties and regional issues. 

“The day before yesterday evening there was a gala dinner, and I had the opportunity to briefly exchange greetings with Foreign Minister Lavrov,” Motegi told a press conference after the Manila meetings. “[We] are long-time acquaintances, and we talked about bilateral relations and regional issues,” he added.

According to Muneo Suzuki of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the exchange marked the first in-person contact between the two countries’ foreign ministers in six years.

Motegi acknowledged ongoing tensions, saying: “Japan-Russia relations are in a difficult situation; however, Russia is our neighbour. It is important to properly manage bilateral relations, including intergovernmental communication, as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges.” He added that Japan “will act toward Russia based on what corresponds to its national interests.”

Suzuki described the interaction as a constructive step, stating that “the very fact of dialogue between the foreign ministers is a positive event,” and expressed hope it could contribute to improving bilateral ties.

By Tamilla Hasanova