Putin says no talks with Japan unless it alters stance on Ukraine

Adulting has never been a Russian strong point.

He is too busy to visit the Kuril Islands right now. Occupied winning the war and choking the Kyiv regime.

Talks are not going to happen then I suppose.

What is the actual Japan's leverage?

No talks it is then. No one should kowtow to a bully.

No talks it is then. No one should kowtow to a bully.

Yup. Russia can talk in the corner to China and NK, quarantined from the rest of us.

Probably the most effective way of dealing with Mr. Putin is to talk openly with Mr. Xi, on whom Putin depends. China is eager to make deals to get it's economy back on track, and Japan has lots of technology it can license.

What is the actual Japan's leverage?

They don't need any - Russia is the desperate party here. Japan just has to sit back to wait for their collapse so they can swoop in and take back the Kurils.

lets Freeze some bank accounts and kick of people out and see his tail come between his knees.

Russia plays Japan like a fish, giving it some dialogue then reeling it in again. Better to just ignore Russia until it offers to sell the islands back. Remember Alaska!

Ukraine will fall, just a matter of time, all these countries are just making the inevitable worse.

Strangerland: Russia is the desperate party here?

I don't think so. Russia occupies and controls the islands.

They also supply a lot of energy from Sakhalin to Japan who is a major investor in the project. Any peep out of Japan and that investment is toast.

So you've been saying for almost 3 years now

Ukraine will fall, just a matter of time, all these countries are just making the inevitable worse.

Putin said Russia does "not refuse to engage in such a dialogue,"

"Putin said" every word after that should be questioned given the number of lies he's told, only the true-believers in Russian supremacy and totalitarianism might believe him, reasonable people will be objective and continue to distrust him, along with the Kremlin and their media (both mainstream and social).

Putin is basically saying Tokyo needs to stop being a comprador and lacks foreign policy independence and sovereignty. On this he has a point.

Lol Russia is a far more useful ally then Ukraine that offers nothing but an open hand

No talks unless you stop suppoting Ukraine.

No taks unless you throw out all the US bases.

No talks unless you give us all of Hokkaido.

Russia's "talking" position is based entirely on keeping what they've taken and trying to take more.

There was basically no progress on this for 50+ years, so it's a bit rich to blame it on Ukraine. Putin is just trying to rile up his cronies, and it worked apparently.

Putin is basically saying Tokyo needs to stop being a comprador and lacks foreign policy independence and sovereignty. On this he has a point.

When the US is pinned down in a future conflict - most likely in the mid-east or pacific - Moscow might establish a buffer zone to protect those islands. The large island to the south would be suitable for that purpose.

When the US is pinned down in a future conflict - most likely in the mid-east or pacific - Moscow might establish a buffer zone to protect those islands. The large island to the south would be suitable for that purpose.

Kremlin propaganda.

@RKit: What is the actual Japan's leverage?

Japan's actual leverage might be Japan is far more advanced technologically than the Russian Federation. Plus it's a nearby country many currently living in the RF might want to shift to, if things go further south in Putin-istan, many males might want to live in a peaceful country like Japan instead of fighting in another war for the glory of Putin and his oligarchs.

Can any Putin government so called "post-World War II peace treaty" be trusted, taken at face value?

Putin says no talks with Japan

That's fine, Vlad. We'll talk to your successor after you're imprisoned for war crimes.

"Everything that has been done has been done by Japan," Putin said

"Stealing the islands was done by Russia, and is the root cause of this," the real world said.

@Bs: Ukraine will fall, just a matter of time

Is the above a Kremlin, or Murdoch talking point, I have trouble differentiating these days. They've been so similar for so long, and parroted by so many of their ant-west, anti-democracy extremist followers, their repetition is just annoying noise like that made by a swarm of wasps, and potentially just as toxic.

Ukraine will fall, just a matter of time

What's the over/under on it being in the next 72-hours?

Ukraine will fall, just a matter of time, all these countries are just making the inevitable worse.

...but before that happen Ukraine will exact a price from Putin so that Putin, Xi, Khomeini et al will think twice before they attack a peaceful neighbour.

Ukraine is paying the price for us all that we in the free world should never forget.

I didn't think adding Ukraine to NATO was a good thing for world peace, but because of Putin's aggression on a peaceful neighbour over 'geopolitics', I now think world peace has a price and it's worth paying the price.

Considering in a small number of months your pals will be near the one-year mark and have not come close to crushing Hamas, with no outside support, in what amounts to an open-air prison, the 72-hour thingy (which was actually Milley) looks good by comparison.

The islands haven't been very prosperous under Russian rule.

Probably the most effective way of dealing with Mr. Putin is to talk openly with Mr. Xi, on whom Putin depends. China is eager to make deals to get it's economy back on track, and Japan has lots of technology it can license.

Trade deals, maybe. Technology transfer, hard negative.

China and Russia should be shut out of all international transactions until they learn to respect the rule of law and international treaties.

If not, let them revert back their glory days of Soviet Stalinist, Maoist isolation.

Oh no. No talks with Mother Russia? What will we ever do!

That Hokkaido claim is a load of horsecrap. The US did all the heavy lifting in the Asian theater and then before the smoke cleared after the surrender, Russia raced in there and claimed those islands like they had something to do with it. What a bunch of sneaky drunken losers.

That Hokkaido claim is a load of horsecrap. The US did all the heavy lifting in the Asian theater and then before the smoke cleared after the surrender, Russia raced in there and claimed those islands like they had something to do with it. What a bunch of sneaky drunken losers.

Japan can and should take them back after Russia collapses due to their failed invasion of Ukraine.

@ Bruce Pennyworth

Lol Russia is a far more useful ally then Ukraine that offers nothing but an open hand

Putin& friends Russia will never be anybody ally, so how could they be a more useful one ? They just want subservant countries which they can use to start their war (ask Belarus) and man it (ask Chechnia).

@JJE

Moscow might establish a buffer zone to protect those islands. The large island to the south would be suitable for that purpose.

If the world come to that you understand that China could disagree with the idea.

Japan doesn't want to do this. Even the crazies aren't suggesting it. This would open a huge can of worms. Other countries (China) would press their claims to islands in the region.

Japan can and should take them back after Russia collapses due to their failed invasion of Ukraine.

Actually, Moscow took the islands as per signed agreement with Roosevelt at the Yalta Conference (in Crimea, Russia SSR). 90 days after the end of hostilities in the European Theatre, USSR was required to attack the Japanese, precisely because the US was bogged down. This happened to the day and hour resulting in the Manchurian Operation, which inflicted the biggest single loss on the IJA (smashing their largest army - the 'Kwantung Army') and broke the might of imperial Japan once and for all. Fools in Tokyo thought Moscow would negotiate with Washington on their behalf. How mistaken they were.

If you don't give me what I want, then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow yoouuurrrrr house down!

Go to hell you ugly wolf and blow!

Actually, Moscow took the islands as per signed agreement with Roosevelt at the Yalta Conference (in Crimea, Russia SSR).

And the Japanese will find some sort of signed agreement to take them back when Russia has collapsed from their failed invasion of Ukraine.

Russia occupies and controls the islands. 

They also supply a lot of energy from Sakhalin to Japan who is a major investor in the project. Any peep out of Japan and that investment is toast.

Ah, reality. Not something our resident “progressives” like to deal in.

They also supply a lot of energy from Sakhalin to Japan who is a major investor in the project. Any peep out of Japan and that investment is toast.

No one said quarantining a virus didn't come without a cost.

Putin (Russia) has been blowing off concluding a WWII peace treaty and the return of the Kuril Islands way before the Ukraine War started. His comment about Japan having to change its stance on this current war is meaningless.

Putin (Russia) has been blowing off concluding a WWII peace treaty and the return of the Kuril Islands way before the Ukraine War started. His comment about Japan having to change its stance on this current war is meaningless.

Putin's trolling. Russians are very, very good at trolling. They've developed a government agency that does it to push government propaganda (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Research_Agency).

He has no expectation the Japanese would ever do this. He's just having fun.

They don't need any - Russia is the desperate party here. Japan just has to sit back to wait for their collapse so they can swoop in and take back the Kurils.

Russia is far stronger than Japan and armed with nukes.Japanese aggression would not be advisable.

The Japanese know this and this is why the Kurils have been under Russian control since 1945.

Russia is far stronger than Japan and armed with nukes.Japanese aggression would not be advisable.

Russia will be too busy scrambling amongst itself when the coming collapse happens.

Same as Japan was post war, enabling Russia to take the Kurils in the first place.

Japan will snatch them right back.

Ukraine will fall, just a matter of time, all these countries are just making the inevitable worse.

I can understand someone being neutral and not interested but why the hell are you cheering for Russia? If you want to live in a communist country please by all means go there and stay there

Well said Mr. Putin..

Japan, in its eagerness to please the geopolitical whims of the US, is missing out on many opportunities with Russia and China..

Bye bye, southern territories, bye byeeeeeee.....

Putin never supported Japan even before the Ukraine war. Japan is still buying Russian oil.

bass4funkToday 07:39 am JST

Ukraine will fall, just a matter of time, all these countries are just making the inevitable worse.

Bloodying the enemy of the collective West is an unambiguous positive, and potentially able to hold him back.

JJEToday 08:58 am JST

When the US is pinned down in a future conflict - most likely in the mid-east or pacific - Moscow might establish a buffer zone to protect those islands. The large island to the south would be suitable for that purpose.

And there you have it. I don't know whether you speak for all Putinists, but this is certainly why the world cannot let the diseased bear run around uncontained.

JJEToday 10:00 am JST

Actually, Moscow took the islands as per signed agreement with Roosevelt at the Yalta Conference (in Crimea, Russia SSR).

Oh boy, do you see Japan as an attendee at that conference?

Fools in Tokyo thought Moscow would negotiate with Washington on their behalf. How mistaken they were.

In other words, they didn't count on Moscow being a deceitful piece of stuffing, yes.

Small man, big ego!

Have you ever visited that corner of Hokkaido? The small towns are barely hanging on with local fishing and summer tourists. Who would move out even further to these islands?

Japan can and should take them back after Russia collapses due to their failed invasion of Ukraine.

Putin is right here. Japan should stop acting as US proxy.

Japan is still involved in the Sakhalin II project. However, in 2022 Russia represented only 4% of Japan's crude oil imports and 9% of LNG imports. The Oil imports have been phased out in line with G7 sanctions on Russia stemming from their invasion of Ukraine.

ProtestantToday  12:43 pm JST

Japan’s routinely overestimates its influence and standing in the world. 

Russia routinely overestimates it's influence and standing in the world. It also overestimates it's military power as the whole world has now seen.

Kurils are parts of RF.

For now.

Japan will have the opportunity to snag them back soon enough.

So Putins' not 'gonna discuss giving back the land USSR stole unless we stop objecting to his stealing land from Ukraine?

Delusional.

Russia will be too busy scrambling amongst itself when the coming collapse happens.

.

Why would Russia collapse?

Japan does not support Kiev regime and have not imposed sanctions against RF.

I would propose that Japan is and has supported Ukraine for a long time, even before the current conflict began.

At immigration , sorting out my visa last week, I saw a family of 7, three generations waiting for an appointment,

The family was taken aside and taken into a side room for a consultation.

Judging from their clothing and demeanor, this was not a well do family as I have seen in Dubai and Thailand.

Japan is giving many Ukrainians a free pass to stay in Japan

Kurils became part of USSR as result of WW2,RF took over after USSR stopped to exist.

Forevermore

Things change. Just as they did when Russia stole them, they will change again when Japan takes them back after Russia's collapse.

If Russia doesn't like that, Russia probably shouldn't have got itself involved in a "special invasion" to take over Kyiv in 72 hours, threatening the very existence of their nation. Whoops. Putin's bad.

As I wrote above-two of you need go back to school and learn abt FACTS first.

Are you suggesting that your Kremlin propaganda contains any facts? Is that what the Kremlin is telling you?

Why would Russia collapse?

Incompetence.

Look at how long their 72-hour invasion they're mired in is taking.

The baboushkas are already starting to revolt.

Basically, asserting the Kuril Islands belong to Japan is indicative of:

1) not accepting the results of WWII

2) supporting an Axis power aligned with Hitler

3) denialism of the legitimacy of a major agreement eagerly entered into by the USA/UK

4) general historical amnesia

So you've been saying for almost 3 years now

Ukraine will fall....

Ukraine has been falling for two and a half years. Falling is very painful. The energy sector is completely broken up. Don't you know that? Only Russia can repair or rebuild power plants on the territory. You simply will not do it, you are only capable of supplying weapons. Now the situation with electricity is so deplorable that no schedules for its supply are working! Ukraine is already on the brink of collapse

JJEToday 02:44 pm JST

3) denialism of the legitimacy of a major agreement eagerly entered into by the USA/UK

Why would Japan agree to the fine points of an agreement it wasn't even part of? The Cairo Conference is just like the unequal treaties imposed in the 19th century.

KukuToday 03:04 pm JST

Only Russia can repair or rebuild power plants on the territory.

They're not going to do it when they are facing daily handouts of sweets from the populace.

You simply will not do it, you are only capable of supplying weapons.

The other 97% of our economies would say otherwise.

Why would Putin talk with Japan if they are part of a West-led proxy war against Russia.

Japan should stay out of this conflict, rather than contribute to its escalation.

Was not referring to the Cairo Conference of 43. With regards to policy and postwar arrangements in the Far East, it was superseded by Yalta (which took place in Crimea, in the Russia SSR in early 45 incidentally).

Irrelevant whether Hitler's ally Tokyo was part of the agreement or not; the Allies were.

Nope, not an unequal treaty at all - another shocking, but unsurprising, comparison designed to whitewash the Axis alliance at the expense of history.

JJEToday 03:32 pm JST

Nope, not an unequal treaty at all - another shocking, but unsurprising, comparison designed to whitewash the Axis alliance at the expense of history.

Worth keeping in mind that the USSR was in alliance with the the axis powers, if not an official member.

An official member of nothing of the sort and definitely not anything approaching a formal alliance in any way, shape or form: rather a very informal, short-lived non-aggression pact with Berlin, signed after every leading European state had signed formal agreements with Hitler directly - the most notorious being Munich (literally signed in his house, in his private study on his desk) of which USSR was explicitly excluded because it opposed it - that actually kicked off the first invasions conducted by Poland and Germany (but not the USSR) of Czechoslovakia. USSR actually proposed military action to stop this but was blocked by Poland and other European powers.

Japan doesn't want to talk to Russia anyways

Putin made it clear Russia is keeping those islands.

Kinda a useless announcement by Putin

Japan should move troops to the area and threaten to take them by force. See if he likes his own medicine. The Russian army, which cant even take Ukraine, is not in the far east, and Putin would hate to have to move some from Ukraine.

JJEToday 04:03 pm JST

An official member of nothing of the sort and definitely not anything approaching a formal alliance in any way, shape or form: rather a very informal, short-lived non-aggression pact with Berlin, signed after every leading European state had signed formal agreements with Hitler directly - the most notorious being Munich (literally signed in his house, in his private study on his desk) of which USSR was explicitly excluded because it opposed it - that actually kicked off the first invasions conducted by Poland and Germany (but not the USSR) of Czechoslovakia. USSR actually proposed military action to stop this but was blocked by Poland and other European powers.

You don't get much credit for raising a weak voice for Czechoslovakia when you subsequently grabbed half of Poland.

Does Japan have a choice?

Regardless of Japan's views on Ukraine, a peace treaty or anything else, those islands in the north are not going to be Japanese anytime soon.

＠Ken: If you want to live in a communist country please by all means go there and stay there

Fact check :

Russia is not a communist country.

Why bother with the guy? Intelligence sources have verified that he ihas repeatedly told his inner circle that Japan will never get back its Northern territories. Quit pandering to this monster. He can’t travel to Japan anyway because he is on the wanted list of the international court of justice.

fallaffelToday  09:57 am JST

Japan can and should take them back after Russia collapses due to their failed invasion of Ukraine.

Japan doesn't want to do this. Even the crazies aren't suggesting it. This would open a huge can of worms. Other countries (China) would press their claims to islands in the region.

Not "doesn't" but "can't". At least as long as the first part of Article 9 which prohibits Japan from settling territorial disputes with military force is amended or removed.

What Japan could, and most certainly should do, is to take Russia to the ICJ. While we know that Russia does not recognize ICJ rulings* it will establish the illegality on record of Russia's occupation of the Southern Kuriles.

This will have no influence on China's claims since they have already declared non recognition of International Court rulings.

*The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the top court of the United Nations, has ordered Russia to “immediately suspend” its military operations in Ukraine. Russia has ignred this ruling.

"We will not hold talks with Japan, in which we refuse to give back what we stole, unless you agree to let us keep what we stole from Ukraine."

I wanted Japan to talk about nuclear of North Korea and the northern territories with Russia before starting war.

But the situation is getting worse right now.

I think the war between Russia and Ukraine is not good for world and around countries occur the action to help Ukraine. So, it is just problem between them.

But this news said “North Korea is helping Russia because North Korea wants Russia’s military power such as missile and ammunition”

In addition, I think it is the best problems for Japan to be said “Japan first needs to change its position on the war in Ukraine.”

Japan is protected by America, and furthermore, Japan is the only country in the world to have suffered atomic bombings so, Japan can’t do action and change its position to accept war.

So I think it is important for Japan not to change its position and continue to tell Russia about the misery and hardship of war.

Then there won’t be any talks and Russia can pound sand.

How will Japan alter its stance on Ukraine?

 If Ukraine is part of Russia, Vladimir Putin is right and Russia's invasion of Ukraine may be justified. But if Ukraine is a sovereignty independent of Russia, Putin is completely wrong.

Thus, the matter boils down to if Ukraine is an independent sovereignty or not.

Putin is trying to bring back all the worst parts of Tsarist Russia and Soviet Communism, and combine them into one obscenity with himself as dictator. Why wouldn't Japan be on board with that?