Kungaa Mergen comments

where Russian bases have remained for over the past 50 years

Over 200 years, from 1783, since Russian empire times.

Anyone remember the election Putin "won" when he returned to power?

Election in 2012 was clearest election in whole history of Russia(and maybe all ex-communist countries). It was able to connect to webcams, which show election process. Webcams were in every part of Russia, so even russian political opposition agreed with election results.

will not begin talks on a new investment accord, an outer space accord and an accord aimed at preventing risky military activities

Also, Korean and Chinese companies surely happy that Japan will stay out from Russian market. Yeah, investments will be useful for Russia, but it's not a such big deal. Outer space accord... Hmmm. Does anybody in Japan know about Yuri Gagarin, first man in space? Does japanese know that Russia has leadership in rocket launches? Russia was leader in space for 60 years without any Japanese help, so in fact this agreement useful only for Japan. Also there is ESA, which never freeze partnership with Roscosmos. Risky military activities - I heard about that. Russia loves it. For example, Russian bombers usually flies around Japan. And always japanese JSDF gives the alarm.

So all these agreements in fact usefull for Japan, for Russia usefull only 1st, but it's not such necessary. It seems like sabotage of japanese foreign interests in favor of the U.S. foreign interests.

Hahahaha, lol. Visa easing!

Japan has most strict visa requirements to ex-USSR countries(except Baltic, which in EU), even to Ukraine, which unilaterally cancelled visas to japanese citizens. So nobody expected that there is any visa easing programme... Lol. Actually Japan doesn't have "soft power" in Russia, Russia-Japan(33bln$) trading amount is same with South Korea(26bln$), even Japan's economy 3 times bigger than Korean, so nobody in Russia cares about Russian-Japanese relationship :) So, it seems like Japan will have only unfriendly countries in neighborhood. So sad Japan is occupied by U.S.

G8 has already become G7.

Yeah, U.S. and puppets, which G7 always been. Because Great 7 is not great until Canada in G7. Even South Korea has much more industrilized and bigger economy. Russia was black sheep in G8, cause it had independent policy, which does not depend on US.

Ok, fine, Russian judge, I understand. But why Ukrainian should lean to Russian athlete? Because of Soviet history? Such stereotypical.

Maybe Korean judge also should lean to Japanese athletes, because Korea were part of Japanese empire?

And this?

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/21/sports/olympics/adelina-sotnikovas-upset-victory-is-hard-to-figure.html

I tried to read this article, but it's boring. It looks like blah-blah-blah, i can't realize how it be, blah-blah-blah. At least comment show that there is no single opinion between people. Some people likes Sotnikova's performance, other people Yuna's. People trying to discuss. But in Korean discussions there is mass anti-Russian hysteria with confusing Lipnitskaya and Sotnikova, with some weird korean worldplays and other creepy shit.

Infographics at least show's difference between performance and trying to explain why Sotnikova beat Yuna, not just blah-blah-blah.

Many, not all of 'em, Koreans confused between Adelina Sotnikova and Yuliya Lipnitskaya. Lipnitskaya fell down and completely failed, she's too young. And Koreans say that how athlete who fell down beat Kim Yuna. But in fact, Sotnikova beat Kim Yuna and became olimpic champion. Looks like some kind of mass hysteria.

There is some analysis from NY Times - http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/02/20/sports/olympics/womens-figure-skating.html?smid=fb-share . It's NY Times, not Komsomol'skaya Pravda, so they don't sympathize to Russia.

Although they are not good enough for the U.S. team in the Olympics, we included these naturalized citizens on the team.

Lol. Russia has naturalized Victor Ahn, ex-korean short-track champion, and Vic Wild - American born Russian snowboarder. Victor was not good enough for the Korean team, Vic for the U.S. team, but with the support of Russia both of 'em became Olimpic champions. Also there is japanese born Russian figure skater Yuko Kawaguchi - unfortunately her partner got unjured, so she wasn't on Sochi Olimpic games. They are silver medalist of Russian Cup in 2013, so they had a chance to became olimpic medalist. It is a merit of Russian coaches. So maybe better to stop blame athletes and find out problems of japanese athlete trainig system?

Also maybe articles like this http://sankei.jp.msn.com/politics/news/131105/plc13110509210006-n1.htm tease Korean government?

Instead of criticizing the Koreans and complaining about President Park's view, it is time for us Japanese to contemplate why Japan has totally failed to become a Germany in East Asia. The Germans used be as barbaric in Europe and Russia as the Japanese in East Asia and the Pacific. The Japanese have a lot to learn from the Germans.

Maybe because Germany was divided into 2 separate countries, lived 40 years as separate countries, do not claim from Poland and Russia former Germanese territories. Also lost in war about 9 million of people (Japan - only 3 million). Also in Russia and CIS coutries about 200000 Germanese museum exhibits, 2 million of books. Also millions of different goods were taken from East Germany. Also in East Germany, for example, children had to study in elementary school Russian. I never heard that in Japanese elementray school children had to study, for example, Chinese or Korean.

Japan wasn't separated, still claims South Kurile islands, nothing is taken out from museums, plants, houses. Japan was "lucky" in comparison with Germany. Ah, yeah, atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were conducted by the United States. So Japan should ask from nowadays "ally". But even with Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japanese lost in WWII less than Germanese.

As Russian, I wanna say that nowadays Russian policy is based on the principle of emperor Alexander III: "Russia has only two allies: the army and the navy" . So Japan and China are not allies or enemies. Russia is interested only in partnership in economy and in local problems solving. Russia never does not accept China as an ally, only partner with similar interests. And, of course, there are some conflicts of interests between Russia and China, for example, in Central Asia, arms export and Russian military technology theft by China. But with China is much more easier to cooperate in economic affairs and investments. Relations with Japan are affected primarily because of Japanese prejudice.

Japanese calls Russia osoroshia(i think, most people on this site will understand wordplay). Actually I think Japanese businessmen are pussies and they're victims of stereotyping. Because of it, for example, automobile companies in Russia with best sales are Lada, Renault, Kia, Hyundai. Toyota and Nissan are on 7-8 places. Electronics company with best position in Russia is Samsung, not Sony. Japanese companies lost positions on Russian market.

I think Russia has best relationships in Eastern Asia with South Korea, not China. This is an example that Russia can make business even with US allies. But Japanese people prejudice about Russia and territorial conflict slow nichiro relationships.

About territorial conflict: most Russian people perceives South Kuril islands(Hoporyodo) as a trophy or fee like Germanese Königsberg(Kaliningrad). Japan owned south Sakhalin and whole Kuril islands as trophy after Russian-Japanese War. So full return of the islands will be perceived by Russian people as betrayal of memory of the lost people in WWII. USSR lost about 25 million people in WWII (for example, Japan lost during WWII about 3 million people), yeah of course, mostly because of war with the nazis. But 25 million is more than whole Taiwan population. It's still biggest tragedy of Russian people, so results of WWII for Russian people are sacred. Non-aggression treaty with Japan - Soviet Union had such treaty with Germany, so what? Treaty doesn't help, war is not for pussies which tryin' to protect themselves by treaties. Only possible solution for nowadays is return of only Shikotan and Habomai, as planned by Soviet Union and Japan declaration from 1956. But even that option will reduce president's popularity in Russia and would be reason of mutiny. But Japan refuses this option and claim all islands. Too naive, I think.