Old foes pursue bilateral gains despite isle row

Kyodo

JapanandRussiaagreed Saturday to strengthen bilateral economic and security cooperation, despite the lack of progress in resolving a long-standing territorial dispute.

“With the security environment in the Asia-Pacific region experiencing significant change, Japan-Russia relations are taking on growing importance,” Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba told a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, after their meeting inTokyo.

Genba said the two countries agreed to prioritize cooperation over trade, energy and security, aiming “to build appropriate ties for our partnership in the region.”

JapanandRussiahave been at odds over the sovereignty of islands offHokkaidoseized by Soviet troops afterJapan’s surrender in World War II on Aug. 15, 1945. The dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai islet group has prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty to formally end the war.

Genba said settling the territorial issue and concluding a peace treaty are more important than ever if the two countries are to forge “true bonds of friendship,” adding he wants Tokyo and Moscow to hold meaningful talks on the sovereignty of the islands.

Lavrov saidRussiais prepared to resume talks withJapanover the process for moving toward a peace treaty after its presidential elections in March, which Prime Minister Vladimir Putin hopes will see him reinstalled in the Kremlin.

Lavrov, who has maintainedMoscow’s long-held position that the islands are legally part of Russian territory, said he wants to seek “a way to resolve the dispute acceptable to both sides.”

But settling the issue toJapan’s satisfaction remains uncertain, asRussiais increasingly viewing the development of itsFar Eastregion as critical to its future.

The two sides agreed to make efforts to settle the territorial issue in a calm atmosphere and did not rule out the possibility of carrying out joint economic development projects on and around the disputed islands.

Genba saidJapanhas already made “concrete proposals” in regard to joint programs, but that differences withRussiaremain over the nature of such projects.

Lavrov said he will try to create an environment in whichJapancan carry out economic activities on and around the islands withRussia, such as fishing, farming and tourism, withoutTokyo’s “legal stance” being harmed.

Despite the territorial dispute,JapanandRussiaseem well-suited for energy cooperation.

The two foreign ministers did not agree on any specific energy projects this time, however. Instead, they signed an agreement to simplify procedures for obtaining business visas in an effort to increase tourism and business ties between the two countries.

ForJapan’s part, the agreement will allow citizens to apply for visas for stays not exceeding 90 days without requiring letters of invitation fromRussia.

The accord will also extend the validity of multiple-entry visas for Japanese traveling toRussiafor business and other nontourist purposes from the current one year to three years.

Although bilateral trade has expanded in recent years, the number of Japanese and Russians traveling between the two countries annually has remained between 120,000 and 150,000, according to the Foreign Ministry.

This is far below the equivalent figures forChinaorSouth Korea, which both total more than 5 million people.

Japan Times

Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012

“With the security environment in the Asia-Pacific region experiencing significant change, Japan-Russia relations are taking on growing importance,” Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba told a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, after their meeting inTokyo.