Japan on Monday urged Russia to start this year's negotiations on a bilateral safe fishing agreement to prevent the Asian country's vessels from being seized by Moscow's authorities in waters near the disputed islands off Hokkaido.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a regular news conference that Russia notified Japan that it is unable to provide information on a suitable date for holding annual intergovernmental negotiations over the pact on Thursday. He described Russia's response as "unacceptable."
"We will firmly request Russia engages in intergovernmental talks so that our fishing operations can begin as soon as possible in 2023," said Matsuno, the top government spokesman.
The agreement, which covers waters around the Moscow-controlled, Tokyo-claimed islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan, was concluded in 1998 following a series of incidents involving Japanese fishing vessels being seized and sometimes fired upon by Russian authorities.
The deal is designed to allow Japanese fishermen to catch several marine species such as Atka mackerel and octopus, among others, around the islets called the Southern Kurils in Russia, in exchange for the payment of "cooperation money" to Russian authorities. Catch and operating conditions are determined by annual negotiations.
In June 2022, Russia suspended the pact, citing Japan's freezing of payments for a development project in Sakhalin. The move came amid friction between the two nations after Japan joined U.S.-led sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
But fishing operations were resumed after Japan paid funds for the project to Russia in light of the benefits to Japanese fishermen.
Japan claims the Soviet Union illegally seized the islands soon after Japan's surrender in World War II on Aug 15, 1945, while Moscow argues the act was legitimate.
The dispute over the islets has discouraged the two countries from signing a postwar peace treaty. Moscow has announced it would halt decades-old negotiations over the issue in the wake of Japan's punitive sanctions against Russia over Ukraine.
© KYODO
12 Comments
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Bronco
Another sanctions own goal.
Now we'll have less fish at the supermarket just because Washington is locked in a geopolitical battle against the BRICS.
Michael Machida
"...But fishing operations were resumed after Japan paid funds for the project to Russia in light of the benefits to Japanese fishermen."
smithinjapan
Love it! It's "unacceptable" that Russia won't give a date to allow Japanese vessels to fish, sailing off from a nation that sanctions Russia and provides aid to its enemy. I know Japan thinks it can play both sides while the world laughs at the nation, but still.
Awa no Gaijin
Another prime example of Kishida's two timing, double standards and magnificent myopic problems and lack of linear thought.
gintonic
Love it! It's "unacceptable" that Russia won't give a date to allow Japanese vessels to fish, sailing off from a nation that sanctions Russia and provides aid to its enemy. I know Japan thinks it can play both sides while the world laughs at the nation, but still."
It really is unbelievable aint it.
JoshK
When is Japan going to stop talking about the Kuril Islands and accept they are Russian territories?
japancat
"We will firmly request Russia engages in intergovernmental talks so that our fishing operations can begin as soon as possible in 2023," said Matsuno, the top government spokesman.
Honestly " We will " but not just yet we have to have a meeting or ten and think about it for a few years.....but we are Firmly doing that ! lol.
Fredrik
Good luck with that Japan. An alliance with US against Russia, means that Japan is not with Russia. Trying to eat the cake and have it as usual...
OssanAmerica
Never. And they shouldn't. THe US, UK, EU recognize these 4 islands as Japanese terrotory under Russian occupation. Because they were stolen by the USSR in violation of the Cairo and Potsdam Declarations and the USSR did not sign the 1951 San Franciusco Peace Treaty.
Russia should be made to return territories it has stolen not just from Japsn, but Georgia, Moldova, Finland and of course... Ukraine.
Awa no Gaijin
Japsn ? Where's that ?
Of course the Russian Empire annexed and built the right bank of Ukraine before the USSR annexed both Russia and Ukraine.
Perhaps Japan should return the Ryukyu kingdom as well ?
And don't forget that imperial China annexed Taiwan either.
There's many places that were stolen /annexed/colonized in the world .
TokyoLiving
Japan wants to negotiate with Russia after being the US lap dog going against same Russia??..
Kishi is doing a great damage to Japan, you will see..
Japan needs more friendship ans collaboration between Russia and China instead of being colony of cheater US..
OssanAmerica
S in next to A. This is called a typographical error.
Judging a person on their spelling and grammar reveals more about you than it does about them
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/spelling-grammar-judge-literacy-privilege-elitism-a9213516.html