Japan-Russian Federation Summit Meeting on the Occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit Meeting in Shanghai
(Overview)

APEC2001

21 October 2001

On 21 October (at past 5:00 p.m. local time, at 6:00 p.m. Japanese time), Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin held a summit meeting on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit Meeting in Shanghai. The meeting lasted for about 40 minutes. The following is an overview of the meeting.

1. Overall Atmosphere

The two leaders, who had first held talks in Genova (and two teleconferences), exchanged their frank opinions with a shared sincere desire to further improve Japan-Russia relations.

2. Overall Japan-Russia Relations

(1) The two leaders agreed on Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko's visit to Japan and the Inter-Governmental Committee on Trade and Economic Affairs to be held on 1 December. They also confirmed that working-level coordination would be made on a concrete schedule of Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov's visit to Japan.

(2) They highly evaluated the smooth cooperation so far between the two countries, especially in the international arena, and shared the intention to have Japan-Russia relations advanced across the board.

3. Peace Treaty Negotiations

(1) Prime Minister Koizumi reconfirmed that Japan and Russia should continue to vigorously engage in peace treaty negotiations, on the basis of past achievements,¹ including those at the Summit Meeting in Irkutsk.

(2) The two leaders then largely agreed that both sides should conduct discussion regarding Habomai and Shikotan on the one hand and Kunashiri and Etorofu on the other in simultaneous and parallel ways without any precondition attached.² They also agreed to instruct respective diplomatic authorities to further negotiate on concrete proceedings.

4. Responses to the Simultaneous Terrorist Attacks in the United States of America

(1) The two leaders reaffirmed that international cooperation would be necessary in taking anti-terrorism measures, given their global features.

(2) Prime Minister Koizumi appreciated President Putin's strong leadership and his taking a definite position to support the United States. President Putin, on the other hand, referring to importance of humanitarian cooperation, highly evaluated Japan's aid to Pakistan.

(3) Both agreed that Japan and Russia should maintain close contact and information exchanges. They also exchanged views on reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan.

5. The Issue of Third-Country Fishing in Waters around the Four Northern Islands

Both leaders pointed out that they welcomed on-going working-level dialogue to find a solution that would be acceptable to both countries.

1 Japan and Russia have repeatedly confirmed, in a series of documents since the Tokyo Declaration in 1993, that both sides should conclude a peace treaty through the solution to the issue of the attribution of the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and Habomai.

2 Japan and Russia have been conducting negotiations from different positions for finding the solution acceptable to both countries, and thus no precondition has ever been attached to the proceedings of the negotiations.

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