Russia scraps Japan meeting in response to sanctions

This was so expected that it hardly qualifies as news.

Russia is just playing with Japan, they will never return those islands... to the victor the spoils of war

Japan does not need Russia. Japan can stop to purchase Russia;s natural gas. Oil from Latin America are good enough, METI even decided to turn their back away from solar energy. In case Japan gets short on utility, Japan can always change METI mind to establish solar energy industry. No need to trade with Russia. What they can sell to Japan? What Russian products Japanese want to buy from Russia?

The gap between the Southern Kuriles and Hokkaido is getting bigger and bigger.

The meetings were expected to focus on a simmering territorial dispute that has hampered trade and kept Moscow and Tokyo from signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities.

If they haven't solved these issues in 70 years, a couple of months delay in having the meeting, so Japan can make an important political point to Putin, is a no-brainer.

@jerseyboyAUG. 06, 2014 - 08:50AM JST

If they haven't solved these issues in 70 years, a couple of months delay in having the meeting, so Japan can make an important political point to Putin, is a no-brainer.

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Your excellent analysis !.

Toshiko. There are always russian blondes that Japan wants to import.

It’s very disturbing that after Russia did the stunt on Crimea and now is gearing up to mess up Ukraine’s sovereignty again, yet Japan is still willing to leave the door open for Putin.

Another irony part is that nationalists from Japan are support Abe’s double-deal approach on Russia , smh.

russia is bad.

OssanAmerica said it perfectly and succinctly, so I shall repeat: this was so expected that it hardly qualifies as news.

I dont understan why Japan imposes sanctions on Russia, perhaps Japan receives instructions from United states , this looks ridiculous, Japan is perhaps forgetting the crimes of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Russia is not perfect, just responding to the US sponsored coup in Kiev and NATO expansion, which is tied to, as usual, resources.

Jerseyboy: " so Japan can make an important political point to Putin, is a no-brainer."

Hate to break it to you, but in this case it's clearly Putin who's made the political point, despite the Japan side trying to play both sides of the issue. The J-government needs to learn that while the US may let them get away with a whole lot in terms of not following through with the same sanctions others do on pain of having assets frozen (ie. with the issue of Iranian oil imports), but Russia won't let them get away with playing around.

Why talk with a leadership that you can't trust anyway?

There goes Abe handshake! Putin substituted it with a middle index finger!

@toshiko

You embody the backwards thinking and xenophobia that keeps Japan in stagnation. Unfortunately, your way of thinking is common among the top leaders.

What Russian products Japanese want to buy from Russia? Japan can ill afford to cut any of its energy suppliers. if Japan doesnt take it China will. Japan tens to forget Russia exports what people NEED, Japan exports what people WANT. big difference

　米国務省でロシアなどに対する制裁措置を担当するピーター・ハレル国務副次官補は１日、都内の米大使館で記者会見し、ロシアによるウクライナへのさらなる侵略を阻止するため、国際社会は対ロ制裁で結束するべきだと主張した。日本の追加制裁を高く評価する一方で、欧米と協調してさらに制裁を強化することに期待を示した。 　ハレル氏は「ウクライナ東部で親ロシア派がマレーシア航空機を撃墜した後も、ロシアから東部への重火器などの流入が続いている」と指摘。ロシアからの直接攻撃の証拠もあると述べ、「こうした武力侵略には対価が伴うことを明確に示すため、国際社会が結束しロシアに圧力をかけることが極めて重要だ」と訴えた。　 　欧米諸国は、金融などロシアの基幹産業に焦点を当てた制裁に踏み切ったが、日本の措置はその段階には至っていない。ハレル氏は「すべての政府がこうした努力（欧米の制裁）に参加することを希望している」と表明。同氏は今週、日本のほか、中国、韓国、シンガポールを訪れ、欧米の制裁措置を説明した。（2014/08/01-15:44）

、日本の措置はその段階には至っていない。

the real headline should be russia sanction US ,EU exempt japan

My lovely country , every bureaucratic country is loving this great ancient country

@Burning BushAUG. 06, 2014 - 03:57PM JST

A trip to the space station for one.

Without access to Russian rockets, Japanese astronauts will be stuck at home twiddling their thumbs.

Hardly space travel of Japanese astronauts will be affected. Yet Russians didn't include Japanese food and products in their ban list.

So, Japan's (lol) "stagnation" is because Japan doesn't allow foreigners to take over its country? At least Japan doesn't have the crime, sloth or arrogance that America has.

Toshiko is 100$ correct. If America hadn't kowtowed to foreigners and foreign interests then we wouldn't be in decline like we are now.

As for Japan's "stagnation". I'd rather go down with "xenophobic" Japan than live in the damn United States of Mexico.