Putin's aide highlights key obstacle to Russia-Japan peace treaty

Efforts to negotiate a peace treaty between Russia and Japan remain stalled, with the Kremlin citing Japan’s alignment with Western policies as a significant roadblock.

"In light of the unfriendly actions taken by the collective West, Japan is showing its solidarity with them. This, in turn, makes it impossible to discuss a peace treaty with Russia," said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov in a statement to Russian media, per Caliber.Az.

Peskov acknowledged that the peace treaty process is "a very, very complicated process," but noted that in the past, Moscow and Tokyo had demonstrated "the strength and political wisdom to substantively engage in dialogue and negotiations in search of solution options."

However, Japan’s recent actions, including joining Western sanctions against Russia and imposing restrictions on Russian economic operators, have created an impasse. "All these are unfriendly steps that, of course, at the moment completely prevent any substantive negotiations on this issue," Peskov added.

He emphasized that Russia had not initiated the breakdown in dialogue. "It was not Moscow that started imposing economic restrictions," he said.

Despite these challenges, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba recently reiterated his government’s commitment to resolving the long-standing territorial dispute and concluding a peace treaty with Russia.

Talks between Moscow and Tokyo have been ongoing since the mid-20th century, with the primary sticking point being territorial rights to the southern Kuril Islands. The archipelago, incorporated into the Soviet Union after World War II, includes the islands of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and a group of uninhabited islets. Japan disputes Russian sovereignty over these territories.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has consistently stated that its sovereignty over the islands, supported by international legal frameworks, is not up for debate.

Relations between the two nations have further deteriorated since Tokyo imposed sanctions on Moscow over its actions in Ukraine. In response, Russia halted consultations on the peace treaty, withdrew from joint economic initiatives in the Kurils, and blocked Japan’s extension as a sectoral dialogue partner in the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization.

By Tamilla Hasanova