Putin, Abe discuss economic projects on disputed islands

Vlad not taking off his shirt to show how macho he is?

successful meeting? No. Cause(s)? would like to hear from msm.

"(Putin, Abe) discuss economic projects on disputed islands"

Heard this garbage for over twenty years. The names change over the years but the message stays the same. This sentence is code for "Japan, give us money and assistance and we will offer the possibility of something."

Japan will get more abductees from North Korea before they enter into anything of mutual interest with Russia over the Kuril Islands.

Heard this garbage for over twenty years....

There are some fundamental changes this time, which are risky (zero return) for Japan. First, Japan will go ahead with "Economic Projects" WITHOUT ANY TERRITORIAL AGREEMENT with Russia. That was decided when Putin was in Japan. Another difference is that Japan is not going to give just money but there will be Japanese workers on the islands, directly communicating with Russian counter parts and locals.

socrateos Today  08:41 am JST Another difference is that Japan is not going to give just money but there will be Japanese workers on the islands, directly communicating with Russian counter parts and locals.

Workers doing what?

Not sure why the Japanese keep at this. Russia, as long as it is led by authoritarians like Putin, has no intention of changing the status of these islands. They are of little commercial value beyond fishing, so getting them back is largely symbolic.

Getting economically entangled with Russia is a losing proposition. Russia has nothing that Japan can't get elsewhere for the same price and without the political liability.

Russia 1

Japan 0

Well I guess it's a good start, but until Russia becomes democratic and joins the developed world which should presumably be inevitable, Japan should not discuss a peace treaty

Russia is never going to give back all the islands, and Japan wants nothing less than all the islands. So, we'll be back to square one tomorrow.

Nice curtains though.

I always love how Japanese politicians report beforehand how they have basically negotiated something as though only one party were present.

"We've come up with a way to engage in economic cooperation that will pave the way to us getting the islands back..."

Followed by Russia chuckling and say, "No," Suga saying, "It's regrettable," and Abe vowing to "solve the issue" (again). Right-wingers have shown in the past that they are far too selfish and self-absorbed and plain old lunatic to allow ANYTHING less than all four islands back, and Russia, which has said flat out the old deal to give back two is still open, has made it clear they will never see all four. Nothing will get resolved, and we'll see Japan yet AGAIN giving Russia more money in exchange for a smile from Putin until he goes back home for a good laugh.

where's the organ? I'm pretty sure there's an organ playing..... Toccata and Fugue in D minor by J. S. Bach https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho9rZjlsyYY

Russia has nothing that Japan can't get elsewhere for the same price a. exactly can be said for what Japan sells to the rest of the world also. biggest dofference is Russia sells what the world NEEDS, Japan sells what the world WANTS.

What an ugly, dated and stuffy looking room. Looks like Trump or Liberace decorated it :)

Workers doing what?

Japan is sending the delegates to the island next month to discuss prioritization of the joint projects. We will know more about soon.

Not sure why the Japanese keep at this...

The islands are theirs. Why should they let go?

Getting economically entangled with Russia is a losing proposition....

Perhaps. But that is not a point. What Japan wants in this "new approach" is to establish people-to-people relationship through joint projects. To have Japanese people on the islands IS the point.

What an ugly, dated and stuffy looking room. Looks like Trump or Liberace decorated it :)

You would hate Buckingham Palace.

The room might not have a peg board lining and might actually have carpets and a high ceiling also chairs that are of an appropriate height, window coverings that actually work that all counts for nothing when the meeting is resolved with?

Putin just grab those isles tighter and tighter!

socrateos: "The islands are theirs. Why should they let go?"

Actually, they are Russian islands; lived on and administered by Russians. Get your facts straight.

Not so good timing to talk about dots in the ocean. How about talk about the Koreas?

 they are Russian islands;..

The things stolen by thieves belong to the owner.

Abe told reporters that he read out to Putin during his visit in December letters from Japanese people who grew up in the Kurils and wanted to visit the graves of their loved ones. Putin said he would send a plane to Japan to take those who want to visit the graves, a move that he said he hopes "will contribute to creating an atmosphere of trust and understanding between our nations."

This is a tacit admission that these group of Islands of are and have always belonged to Japan, and were forcefully taken and occupied as spoils of war.  

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will probably have little choice other than to agree to future joint economic projects. However the government of Japan can at the same time drip feed any direct investment in exchange for oil and gas energy supply agreements.

Hope Japan doesn't end up building, selling and buying from these islands all the while footing the bill.

The recent Putin-Abe meetings in Moscow have unambiguously shown that Moscow and Tokyo are eager to settle their dispute over the islands. The fact that 29 memorandums of understanding have already signed between two countries demonstrates that both governments are well on the way to normalizing their ties although only pragmatic and economic matters are still dominating in the Russo-Japanese agenda. But just now it is absolutely clear that their strive for peaceful constructive dialogue is a good base not only for realization of Russo-Japanese economic cooperation projects, but a real way for two countries to finally sign a peace treaty ending WWII.