politics

Abe backs Putin with visit to Sochi

31 Comments
By Antoni Slodkowski

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31 Comments
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Maybe a good chance to ask him nicely for the Northern Islands back. Instead of "demanding" as in picture above. Maybe offer top quality Japanese toilet and plumbing skills to fix some of the awful facilities on display at Sochi.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

Abe: " Human rights? What are those?"

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

Maybe offer top quality Japanese toilet and plumbing skills to fix some of the awful facilities on display at Sochi.

True, Japan is second to none in making toilets

3 ( +10 / -7 )

So how's Abe going to look when he comes home empty-handed after under-cutting his main security partner? FYI, when Yasuhiro Mori is your policy leg-man, get ready for a graph-fest.

5 ( +7 / -3 )

The history of the Northern Islands' colonization is a complex one, and the Russian and Japanese claims are as emotional as they are political.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"...just hours after headlining a rally demanding that Moscow return islands seized from Japan."

Classic Abe! I wonder if he's going to claim his comments were 'misinterpreted'. Another perfect example of how inept most Japanese politicians are when it comes to foreign relations. "GIVE US OUR ISLANDS BACK NOW!!! Oh, hey Mr. Putin. Don't mind what I was reported to have said. I back you. Excuse me, sorry. Please understand."

2 ( +10 / -9 )

Another perfect example of how inept most Japanese politicians are when it comes to foreign relations.

True. Unlike Japan's stinginess with the DIaoyu islands however, Russia is offering to return two of them. Yep, Russia is offering to share. Japan`s government, greedy as usual however, wants all of them or nothing.

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

So is Abe saying that the reason he visited Sochi is to try to resolve the Northern Islands disputes?

So he's not there to watch the Winter Olympic Games? Can I have his tickets?

Even if your true intent is to talk about territorial disputes, gas pipelines and which AKB teens is the cutest, why not just hold that thought and pretend you care about the game instead of pandering your thoughts out loud?

-2 ( +2 / -5 )

Abe is completely screwing himself over. He's defying the US and others who have chosen not to visit strictly for bilateral political issues, then turns around and spits on the nation he's about to visit!

That's your not altogether unbiased reading of the situation.

Leaders of other countries chose to stay home for their own reasons. Are you suggesting that Abe needs to line up like a puppet and do whatever the leaders of other G7 nations do?

Putin is no dummy. He knows the domestic situation Abe faces. I bet he welcomes Abe with open arms, and hey, Putin already told the commies to go pound sand when they asked him to join the Japan bash fest PRC and ROK have going on. That alone is worth the cost of "defying" the Americans.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

For once, I applaud Abe on this. Despite all the Russia bashing due to the Anti-Gay Propaganda laws, people need to remember that the Olympics is about sports and the athletes representing their countries, and that it's not a platform to promote certain "tolerant" liberal political / sexual agendas. People also need to realize that while they have certain political / sexual views, they also need to respect the laws and cultural values of the host country that they are visiting. It's good to see Abe heading over, hopefully not only as a diplomatic mission, but to support the Japanese Olympians.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Whether Abe backs Putin anti gay policy or not Putin will not back Abe dream of getting four northern Islands back. It is not on his watch. Russian has rejected PRC proposal for support of Senkaku. It does not mean Russia will support Japan as legitimate owner for all disputed territory too.

In fact he has no gut to raise that issue with Putin. Before leaving he entertained hopeful constituents. When he is in Sochi, he will enjoy the game instead of demanding Kurill Islands.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

In fact he has no gut to raise that issue with Putin.

Its not called guts, its called manners and diplomatic skill. But these are things nobody expects communists to understand, so don't worry.

Abe needs to agree to a split of the islands. Japan gets some territory back and shows the rest of the world that they are indeed capable of fair negotiations in this sort of dispute. It totally pulls the rug out from under PRC, and they know it.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Guess each country has to do what's best for them.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Japan is the only country in the world that has territorial disputes with ALL of its neighbors. Something to think about, Japan? You're not getting along with anyone near you (and who knows your ways).

-7 ( +4 / -10 )

You guys are crying like a baby because Abe is going to Russia and have a meeting ? yeah that's horrible isn't it LOL ?

SMH, find something else to cry about, talk about typical grumpy foreigners

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Russia took the islands almost 70 years ago. It's time Japan moved on.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

"Russia took the islands almost 70 years ago. It's time Japan moved on".

Isn't what Japan tell the world when it comes to islands it took from other?

Learning 'do as I say, not as I do'? Forget Japan is not America?

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

globallcFeb. 08, 2014 - 02:05AM JST "Russia took the islands almost 70 years ago. It's time Japan moved on". Isn't what Japan tell the world when it comes to islands it took from other?

Any and all islands and territories Japan "took" were all taken away at the end of WWII. Therefore your comment makes no sense.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Yeah....cuz once the dollar crumbles, Russia is gonna be in a GREAT position. Abesellout!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

ABE is feeling the sense to not trust the US so he needs another bed partner should he divorces Otrama. In the mean time this also keeps China in the Jealousy loop, because they thought Russia had their back but Putin is a pimp he will pimp anyone who comes crying on his shoulder he is shrewd and he knows how to play the game he an EX-KGB officer!!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Putin should understand Japan who still consider that the Russians betrayed them during WWII. They honestly did not attack Russia when Hitler's troops were near Moscow, allowing Stalin to redeploy fresh troops from the Far East. And they did not attack Russia in 1942, when Nazi troops were near the Volga and the Caucasus. Nonetheless, Russia attacked Japan in August 1945 and captured their Kurile islands. Russia is unwilling to return land which is not theirs. So what kind of allies can Russia look like after all that?

However, the Japanese themselves have become increasingly open to expanding economic ties with Russia despite the territorial dispute, removing another incentive for Russia to make major concessions. Russians can challenge Japan aggressively regarding the islands and still secure considerable Japanese investment and commerce. In the long term, one would expect the Japanese to make the most concessions, since China's continuing rise presents a greater threat to Japan's interests. In addition, better ties between Russia and Japan might prove to be important for near future geopolitical realignment that sees Russia adopt a more guarded approach to China. Until such a softening occurs on the Japanese side, Putin has little incentive to change its approach to the island dispute, and many reasons to maintain its tougher stance.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Come to think of it, Russia does not complain Japan so much as other Japan's noisy neighbors South Korea and China, or even US and Australia do in many things such as shrine visit or dolphin hunt. Maybe a new friend?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@tinawatanabe : even durung Cold War times economical ties between Japan and the USSR were enough strong.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Will be interesting to see the fruits of Abe's "gambatte" offensive.

Wars change borders, once you can accept this maybe a pipeline would be a nice consolidation.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Abeplomacy is what he is doing what that means though is another thing.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

hidingout Feb 07, 2014 - 09:13PM JST

Its not called guts, its called manners and diplomatic skill. But these are things nobody expects communists to understand, so don't worry

Disagree! If Abe has decent manner and diplomatic skills, emperor will transform as flying God and descend on the Kurill Islands. In my humble memory, Abe is the outspoken, flip flopping, insensitive and undiplomatic. He was kicked out from his office back in 2007. He was unfit for office back then. Now he has been more polished. However he is still same old Abe who is changing his tone for different audience. One example was blaming Interpreter error for his loose cannon explosion of Davos forum. He is not accountable for what he has made as trouble. It is unimpressive and irresponsible.

He may entertain voters with hope and promises. However he will never be able to deliver what they expect.

Putin by himself former KGB officer of USSR Communists. According your logic, he will not understand what Abe wants. Even Putin understands Abe wishes, he will not fulfill Abe wishes for sure. Putin is a man of steel who warned Obama for not intervening Syria war or else. Definitely, Abe will not be successful for that issue during his term.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Nathaw, Mr. Abe quit 1st tenure from his illness. Sorry you don't like him so much, but he's very popular among J public.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

tinawatanaAbe

Abe was incompetent and he was kicked out from office because of lack of popularity. No J PM has lacked decent manner like him. He is more popular in second term. Not in first term. Pls research more before you post.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

@sfjp330

Japan did not attack the USSR in 1941 for reasons that had nothing to do with "friendship" or "loyalty" or even "good will".

Japan stabbed the USSR in the back in 1938 at Khasan and Khalkin Gol. They were beaten, and they simply did not dare to start a war with the Soviets, knowing very well that they could not win that conflict.

That's all there is to it. Besides, USSR was under obligation to its Western allies to help defeat Japan, the Yalta agreement.

So all this talk of "betrayal" is pure nonsense. It was simply payback for something that happened a few years earlier.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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