Russia refuses to discuss a peace treaty with Japan because of the sanctions

21.03.2022, Moscow.

Russia terminated negotiations with Japan regarding the issue of signing a peace treaty, the press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry informed on March 21.

The recent anti-Russian sanctions introduced by Japan in connection with the special operation for denazification in Ukraine became the reason why the Russian authorities resorted to such measures. Japan, following the US, consistently introduces various restrictions against Russian citizens and legal entities.

These restrictions apply to imports, banking and other activities. It is noteworthy that Japan has not introduced restrictions on the import of Russian hydrocarbons.

“In the current situation the Russian side has no intentions to continuing peace treaty talks with Japan, because it is impossible to discuss the signing of a fundamental treaty in bilateral relations with a country that takes an outspokenly unfriendly stance and tries to cause harm to the interests of our country,” said the Foreign Ministry.

In addition to their unwillingness to negotiate on this issue, the authorities of the Russian Federation also decided to cancel the possible visa-free visits to the southern Kuril Islands for Japanese citizens.

Such a measure was introduced in the 1990s to facilitate visits by the Japanese citizens to the former places of residence on the South Kuril Islands; so that people can, for example, see the graves of their relatives.

Also, Russia withdrew from the “dialogue with Japan on joint economic activity on the South Kuril Islands.

“All responsibility for harm to bilateral relations and to the interests of Japan itself rests upon Tokyo, which has consciously made its choice in favor of an anti-Russian policy instead of developing mutually beneficial cooperation and neighborliness,” says the statement.

Japan has consistently put forward claims to the Russian islands of Kunashir, Shikotan, Iturup and the group of uninhabited Habomai islands, referring to the 1855 bilateral treaty on trade and borders. These islands returned to the USSR following the results of WWII.

However, in 1956, Moscow agreed to consider the possibility of returning Habomai and Shikotan islands, but after the signing of a peace agreement. In Tokyo, however, they did not abandon their claims to all the islands. It is believed that this happened largely due to the US’s threats not to return Okinawa to Japan, which was then completely under the control of the US.

As a result, the peace treaty was never signed.

At the same time, the Russian position was repeatedly made clear in recent years: these islands have become the territory of the USSR following the results of WWII and the sovereign status of the Russian Federation over them is beyond doubt.

Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency

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