Abe's search for Russia peace pact: Best chance, last chance?

Because tensions need to be reduced at a time when allies are so unreliable.

Why could not Japan move at the time of Gorby?

Why is Abe trying so hard to pander to Russia?

Resolving tensions leftover from a decades old war is 'pandering'? I'll never understand hating a politician so much that you hope they fail at everything.

Putin is a popular leader in Japan, and highly respected. Unlike in the West where he is still disliked due to Cold War rivalry remaining. He already made the offer to negotiate the Peace Deal. PM Abe and Putin are on the same page on this issue. The "2 plus alpha" deal is acceptable for now for Japan, as long as Russia promises the 2 larger islands to be handed over in 10 years. US Military will not be needed on the returned islands, Japan can manage with a much expanded and bigger Military in next few years.

This will be PM Abe's legacy, and he will realize it, there is no doubt.

Its kinda obvious that since Japan isnt in a position of power and Russia isn’t weak, why would a concession favoring Japan come into play?

This is just local politics imo. Not much will change on the geography front.

Why is Abe trying so hard to pander to Russia?

Abe’s PR company told him to do this as people are bored with the NK thingy.

Abes Russian policy has been a complete failure and no amount of handwaving from his supporters, the tame media or the prodigiously corrupt Muneo "House" Suzuki is going to change that.

"Temple University Japan associate professor James Brown, who specializes in Tokyo-Moscow relations, said he believed the two sides remained “enormously far apart” on the legal framework issue. Brown told The Diplomat that this summit, when originally conceived, was supposed to be the time for a major breakthrough. He believes the Japanese government had been building up public expectations for years, although this softened somewhat around March “when the working groups on the legal issue were not making any progress.”

"Asked about the outlook for Japan-Russia relations in the months ahead, Brown said: “I think that it’s hard to continue on in the same way. Up until now Abe has just seemed to turn a blind eye to all of the discouraging signs, but if it wasn’t going to happen now I don’t see why anything would be different in the future.”

https://thediplomat.com/2018/06/abes-russia-trip-comes-to-an-underwhelming-end/

Putin should be wary of Abe. Japan is increasing military spending and might resort to war to jump start their economy.

What is PM Abe waiting for? Agreeing to Russian conditions and sign a peace treaty with Russia should be a top priority. Putin is highly popular and respected in Japan. I hope this will work out somehow.

Slap my forehead and make the shape of L for loser. He is lucky not to have plutonium slipped into his pocket.

Best chance, last chance?

Fat chance!

The chances that Russia will make any concessions on the islands, whose surrounding waters give their Navy access to the Pacific, are about the same as the chances Palestinians will agree to a two state solution with the Israelis. Exactly zero.

Japan should hold out for all the Islands or at least give us back the bigger Islands first. Settling for the 2 small Islands we could have done that already many decades ago. This is not a new proposal, it's a concession and acceptance of the old offer by Russia.

Put-in ¥en no deal

Why is Abe trying so hard to pander to Russia?

It is deeply rooted habit for Abe that comes from his last two years of

pandering to Trump. "May I carry your golf bag for you Massa?

And since Trump panders to Putin it is a simple calculation for Abe.

Putin is the dictator of a third rate country. There is no need for anyone to pander to him. Without his hordes of computer hackers, he would be powerless.

If I may think out loud. I sense Abe is projecting future problems with China and possibly North Korea. What I see him doing is to proactively neutralize any cause Russia may have to join forces with an enemy, and what Japan in a future date could be seen as a military engagement. He’s playing hard ball but has few aces in his hands. I want to see the outcome.

It's too bad Abe is dealing with a third-rate kgb hack like Putin! Had Russia had a real politician in place (one who earned the spot through free elections) then a resolution would be possible!

And let's keep in mind why this situation exists in the first place! The Kurils were NOT won by Stalin's Cossacks and Russians! Emperor Hirohito ordered the islands to be unoccupied to lay a trap for the invading forces! That's why the Russians never made it to Hokaido! The Japanese Imperial forces made a sandwich out of the Russians when they tried to cross to Hokaido! But that wasn't the trap! That was just to give the Russians courage to proceed their tank brigade to the hills of Korea, where the Japanese set up atomic land mines and destroyed the last of the Russian forces!

Russia really has no say in this matter! They are just being childish about the matter! That's what we get with amateurs in power pretending to know politics!

Both militarily and economically, Japan is stronger than today's Russia. Stop kissing Putin's butt, and start kicking it.