politics

Russia warns Japan not to expect quick progress on islands

22 Comments
By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV

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22 Comments
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I dare you. You want to do it properly, you will show diligence and honesty you are so famous of. Only this way we will thrive together.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Don't worry, "not to expect quick progress" is a specialty

7 ( +8 / -1 )

There won't be any "progress" until Japan hands over billions of dollars to Russia. Then Russia will make an unimpressive offer leading to Japan handing over billions more.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Let's discuss again in 500 years time.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

And Japan should warn Russia not to expect cooperation in the development of the Northern Territories.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

There won't be any "progress" until Japan hands over billions of dollars to Russia. Then Russia will make an unimpressive offer leading to Japan handing over billions more.

Abe would lose all the supports in such case. ain't gonna happen.

The more we act together, the more broadly we develop our ties in all spheres without exclusion searching for a balance of interests of Russia and Japan ... the easier it will be for us to solve the most difficult problems,” he said.

Remember Sakhalin 2 ? Japanese enterprise knows how risky it is to trust Russians? Those 2 smaller islands are must, have never been included in the definition of Southern Kurils at any one point in history. What Russia is so stupid is to keep threatening Japan by force. Return 2 bigger islands for free first, that would change fundermentals of the relation between 2 countries.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

I think Japan has to give up the idea of getting those islands and just invest if it makes commercial sense on its own merits. Don't get caught out on investments in same vain hope of getting the islands back. Russia will never give anything back because they could never sell at as a win back home. Not only that, but if returning territory to Japan somehow annoys China, then Russia is even less likely to do it.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

And Japan should warn Russia not to expect cooperation in the development of the Northern Territories.

...including natural gas pipelines that Japan wants?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Believe me, Japan does not expect rapid progress. YAWN. It is just that the US "gave back" Okinawa in 1972, which was 27 years after the war and here Russia is dragging its feet after 72 years. No. We can't expect Russia to have its act together at this point.

If we want to play the WHAT IF game, how about WHAT IF Russia had given back Japan all four islands in 1990, as Kaifu and Shin Kanemaru had worked out their deal... for a few billion. What would be different now? Well, Japan would have had a whole new development effort that might have boosted GDP for a decade or so... by a point or two annually. And today, Russia and Japan would be easily concluding deals and Japan would be using a lot more gas rather than a lot more coal. Yes we would have pipelines, and at this stage, Russia could be more plausibly making deals with Korea and China. Russia would have had some short term disruption, but in 1990, there was plenty of disruption going on anyway. Russia could have moved its people off the island and paid them off easily. And now the whole region would be richer. With a lot less tension and lots of funds for further Russian development. Heck. Even the environment would be better off because gas is better than coal... am I right?

Alas, that was the last best chance for a deal, and that was ... a generation ago. And now Russia wants to go to a snail's pace. What has changed? Well, a larger population of Russians living on the dole in shacks, selling fish to Japanese buyers. No new oil or gas projects. No tourism to speak of anywhere in the Russian Far East. And Japan has developed WONDERFUL relations with energy vendors all over the world. History has clearly passed Russia by. Russia's economy keeps shrinking, and Japan, with ZIP for natural resources has at least held its own.

yeah. Russia needs more time. That will solve the problem. Time has been so clearly on Russia's side for 70 years now. I am sure a little more time is all Russia needs for everything to work out. What a bunch of losers. Japan, for its part, needs to stop being such a cheap date. The islands are next to worthless and they are getting cheaper by the day. Let Russia enjoy all the "great benefits" of taking care of a bunch of hillbilly islanders for another few generations. If the Russians want more time, give them more time, and let them watch the value of the islands fade to zilch.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Much simpler for the Governments of Japan and Russia to politely, peacefully except the status quo. No treaties, all economic ties or investments be kept to individual assessment at time of proposal. Outside of diplomacy there is little to be gained from President Vladimir Putin’s visit.

The siting of anti-ship missiles is proof that President Vladimir Putin’s word cannot be taken at face value. The act in itself blatantly undermining the whole purpose of the visit. These islands were not liberated, but were ruthlessly stolen as so called spoils of war, their inhabitants forcefully deported.

To sign a formal peace treaty under these circumstances would be without a hint of irony regrettable

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Wars happened, borders were redrawn. This is a new age, it's better to work together. Look at Japan in a time span of 300 years. It's population is almost as large as Russia's with minimal land. Sooner or later special treaties will have to be made with China and Russia, involving mutual land development. It only makes sense that all countries in the area work together.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Why any nation indulges in dialogue with Russia is a mystery. Russia is feral. They will never be a part of an international community. Let them wallow in their corruption and alcoholism. Japan will never get what it really wants so stop embarrassing yourself.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

@ThePBot Including natural gas pipelines that Japan wants. If that happens without ownership of the islands, Russia will have Japan by the balls.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

As long as the Americans are militarily present in Japan and as long as Japan have no independent foreign policy no progress can be made.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

At least the Russians are being realistic. Хорошо!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

As in centuries, not years.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Believing you're going to get those islands back from the country that recently annexed part of Ukraine is pie in the sky.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Season of warm friendship ( Daruzba -- Dosti ) is about to set in shortly in relations between Russia and Japan and era of warning and issuing threats is soon going to be a thing of past.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Russia warns Japan not to expect quick progress on islands

it should read: Russia warns Japan not to expect ANY progress on islands- because that's exactly what the russian stance is.

Lavrov on Saturday offered a similar indication that Moscow sees a progress in economic ties as key condition for success of talks on the islands.

mark my words, russia will push for a sweet deal on the economic front and then turn around and backstab Japan. That's what they do.

Why any nation indulges in dialogue with Russia is a mystery. Russia is feral. They will never be a part of an international community. Let them wallow in their corruption and alcoholism. Japan will never get what it really wants so stop embarrassing yourself.

Agree 100%. Excellent quote.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

As long as the Americans are militarily present in Japan and as long as Japan have no independent foreign policy no progress can be made.

Then why historical russian presidents always putting the islands talks on the table all the time from 1956? That's the only baits Russia can think of? to beg for economic cooperations? What cowards!

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

DRC: ... That's the only baits Russia can think of? to beg for economic cooperations? What cowards!

That's right, poke the bear ... make Hokkaido the new Crimea ...

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

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