Japanese-Russian relations

Relations between Russia and Japan are a continuation of the Japanese-Soviet relations. Relations between the two nations is hindered primarily by a dispute over the Kuril Islands. This, and several smaller conflicts, prevented both countries from signing a peace treaty after World War II. As of 2006 matters remain unresolved.

The government of Boris Yeltsin took power in Russia in late 1991 upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Once again, Moscow took a stand in firm opposition to returning the disputed territories to Japan. Although Japan joined with the Group of Seven industrialized nations in providing some technical and financial assistance to Russia, relations remained poor. In September 1992, Russian president Boris Yeltsin postponed a scheduled visit to Japan. The visit took place in October 1993. He made no further concessions on the Northern Territories dispute over the four islands northeast of Hokkaido, a major obstacle to Japanese-Russian relations, but did agree to abide by the 1956 Soviet pledge to return two areas (Shikotan and the Habomai Islands) of the Northern Territories to Japan. Yeltsin also apologized repeatedly for Soviet mistreatment of Japanese prisoners of war after World War II. In March 1994, then Japanese minister of foreign affairs Hata Tsutomu visited Moscow and met with Russian minister of foreign affairs Andrei Kozyrev and other senior officials. The two sides agreed to seek a resolution over the longstanding Northern Territories dispute, but the resolution of the dispute is not expected in the near future. Despite the territorial dispute, Hata offered some financial support to Russian market-oriented economic reforms.^{[citation needed]}

On August 16, 2006, Russian maritime authorities killed a Japanese fisherman and captured a crab fishing boat in the waters around the disputed Kuril Islands. The Russian foreign ministry has claimed that the death was caused by a "stray bullet".^[1]

On 28 September 2006, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia would "continue the dialogue with the new Japanese government. We will build our relations, how the peoples of the two countries want them to be. Foreign Minister Taro Aso remained on his post in the government. We have good, long-standing relations, we will act under the elaborated program."^[2]