politics

Russia proposes shelving jurisdiction issue in isle talks with Japan

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My perspective as person who has lived in Hokkaido for nearly 30 years and has family through marriage in the Nemuro area: the Russians will never give any of the islands back. Never. Period, full stop. Russia, however cannot manage the islands own their own and always needs help from Japan, especially Hokkaido. When the Russians do need help, they dangle the "talk-about-the-future-of-the-islands" carrot and Japan usually bites. Let's pass this time. Let Russia's incompetence sink the economies of the islands until Russia needs help and then Japan can name its terms.

17 ( +18 / -1 )

Russia never gives land back. Ask Ukraine.

16 ( +17 / -1 )

Russia is looking to see where the chips fall after COVID19 is past us. China and the US aren't the only ones closely watching the gameboard. In fact, it might even be of benefit to Japan to hold off discussions as well.

The four islands in question were never taken in any war, as they were negotiated and became Japanese territory by Treaty signed in 1855. That's the main reason that Russia continues to discuss the issue at all. Comments about "war" are uneducated and irrelevant.

11 ( +19 / -8 )

In the early months of 1942 the war situation was so desperate for the USSR they had used all the Siberian reserve forces to stop the Vermacht in the outskirts of Moscow. Meanwhile the most talented Japanese war general Yamashita was in charge of the huge Kwantung Army --under orders to do nothing but monitor the Russian border. Had he attacked how could the USSR NOT have collapsed? --of course will never know..

Yet the non agression pact was kept by Japan and of course broken by Stalin once he was sure he can gobble up territory for minimum risk.

Making an agreeement with Putin is worth abous as much as signing one with Stalin.

11 ( +16 / -5 )

What?1!!?! The Russians can't be trusted?? Oh, pshaw...

11 ( +11 / -0 )

The Russian economy is in tatters. They continue to spend more than they can afford on their military budget. Anything that potentially helps their economy has to be pursued. This olive branch is more important to the Russians than it is to the Japanese.

10 ( +16 / -6 )

Not always that I agree with Toasted Heretic but in this instance he is right. Currently, Japan has nothing to gain in discussions let alone agreeing to anything with Russia. They will be better served to play a long game, politely hard nosed and some non violent push back to remind Russia that they have things to lose as well. In the longer term, Japan weaning it self off of the hydrocarbon economy will serve to strengthen its hand by weakening the Kremlin’s. The weaker the world demand for oil the less they can squander on an over large military (Russia has an economy on a par with Italy but seeks to have a military approaching that of the USA!).

10 ( +11 / -1 )

A form of joint sovereignty could present a possible workable compromise for both the Russian Federation and J Governments.

If handled with tact/diplomacy this could provide politically a route to securing a peace treaty.

However, can Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin be trusted not to steal the silverware, so to speak?

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Russia seems really to be in deep trouble due to corona virus. Russia proposes it? It is always lie. It always kicked it later.

7 ( +13 / -6 )

Japan needs to be tough with Russia. I'm not advocating conflict, it can be done by revoking visas and residency for Russian nationals in a freeze of criminal or dubious assets.

7 ( +13 / -6 )

With the carbon economy coming to the end and with no other export products to sustain the already crumbling economy, the so called Russian Federation is going to crumble into several independent states in which the Siberian state will need to give back the islands to Japan in exchange for economic assistance.

6 ( +13 / -7 )

Hello Kitty 321May 24  06:37 pm JST

Japan and China 'shelved' the issue of the Senkaku Islands 

What does that have to do with this article?

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Promising news. It seems the Russians have finally come to their senses. Joint sovereignty for 10 years. Then, the islands revert 100% back to Japanese control. After which, the residents can choose which citizenship they want. If they did choose Russia, they are permitted to stay on as "Special Permanent Residents" of Japan. Most will probably choose to be Japanese.

Japan can clean up and develop the islands as year-round "eco-resorts", pumping thousands of tourists and billions of yen into the island economies. Win-win.

After all, Russia has no basis in international law to claim these islands, and have polluted them terribly.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Russia is willing and completely open to the transfer of the Kuril islands, but their one non negotiable stance is that US military personnel cannot be stationed on the islands. Japan has continuously refused time and time again.

True - this has been a sticking point. The realistic way I see this situation going forward is a Japanese undertaking - in consultation with the USA of course - that no US bases will be stationed on the Kuriles. Instead, a Japanese SDF base can be the only military base (If any) set up there.

In a practical sense, there is almost a zero likelihood the US has any inclination to set up a base in the Kuriles - Misawa is just a stone's throw away in northern Tokoku. The cost for the US setting up a base in the Kuriles is prohibitive for them going forward. This stuff can be worked out if the Russians are serious.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Dsffd SdfsdMay 25  09:37 pm JST

Russia is willing and completely open to the transfer of the Kuril islands, but their one non negotiable stance is that US military personnel cannot be stationed on the islands. Japan has continuously refused time and time again.

False. Russia asked for all US military to be removed from Japan. Not allowing US troops on the four islands is a no-brainer, neither Japan nor USD have any need for it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan has been dead slow to spur electrification of transport and energy.

No hybrid buses, no significant number of electric scooters, no attractive rebate for purchase of electric vehicles, low uptake of solar for housing, no large scale off shore wind projects, continued reliance on oak,substandard insulation in houses etc

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Normally, I support the Japanese government in their foreign policy, but I side with Russia on this one. Russia is willing and completely open to the transfer of the Kuril islands, but their one non negotiable stance is that US military personnel cannot be stationed on the islands. Japan has continuously refused time and time again.

Japan is simply a vassal state in the USA's global hegemony. Japan cannot negotiate the transfer of the Kuril Islands because in many ways they cannot be considered a truly independent nation. Japan wants the islands, and Russia is willing to give them the islands, but Japan does not have the power, or the independence to deny the USA access to place military personnel on the island and they both know this. The islands talks are one big charade for both sides to make it appear as if negotiations are somehow possible

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Japan is simply a vassal state in the USA's global hegemony. 

Japan needs to apply the same tough love to the US, as they should to Russia.

Both countries have been taking advantage of Japan for years.

Neither are friends of this country.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Bruce Wayne - the possible reason for Kwantung army doing "nothing" was it was still smarting from it's defeat at the hands of the Russians in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol. In fact it was this defeat that persuaded the Japanese military to advance south instead of it's original NW expansion plan.

Also when Germany invaded Russia breaking their non-aggression pact, Stalin was in no mood for adhering to pacts. Which is why he denounced the Japan - Russia non-aggression pact in 1944(?) and declared war the following year in August, resulting in seizing of the northern territories.

Stalin - already an "evil" guy was about making as many people / countries as possible pay for the destruction of much of Russia's population, economy, etc.

The Cold War soon developed to keep up this mind set.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Japan has so few natural resources that it will just keep on drooling over what might be....

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Japan and China 'shelved' the issue of the Senkaku Islands until the mayor of Tokyo (at the instigation of the Heritage Foundation) decided they were Japanese.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

They are Russian territory, they can do as they please. While Japan should take this and accept it as a kind of potential start to more, some moron on the right wing will start screaming, and Abe will fall into place and say he's going to get the territory back. Russia will laugh, Abe will have more egg on his face, and on, and on.

-8 ( +6 / -14 )

Get over it. It’s Russia’s land. If you didn’t want to lose it, you shouldn’t have started the darn war.

-10 ( +14 / -24 )

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