Japan-Russia Foreign Ministers' Meeting
(Summary of Results)

June 24, 2004

Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi held a meeting with her Russian counterpart, Minister for Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov of the Russian Federation for a period of approximately three hours and forty minutes including a working lunch, in the Annex Building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on her visit to Russia from June 23 to 25, 2004.

At the meeting, the foreign ministers discussed various issues concerning bilateral relations such as conclusion of a peace treaty as well as urgent issues surrounding the international situation including the issue of North Korea and Iraq.

This is the first full-scale foreign ministers' meeting with Russia since the formation of the second administration of President Vladimir Putin. This marks a significant first step towards the preparation for President Putin's visit to Japan, which, at the Japan-Russia Summit held on the occasion of the Sea Island Summit, was agreed to take place at the beginning of 2005.

1. Achievements of this meeting

(1)	Foreign Minister Kawaguchi and Foreign Minister Lavrov agreed that the visit by President Putin to Japan should bring about significant achievements, and that the two foreign ministers carried the responsibility of preparing for the visit.
(2)	In relation to this, the two foreign ministers concurred for a Japan-Russia Foreign Ministers' Meeting to be held on the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly which is scheduled for this autumn in New York. They also agreed that Foreign Minister Lavrov would pay a visit to Japan prior to the visit of President Putin to prepare for his visit. Specific dates will be arranged through diplomatic channels.
(3)	The two foreign ministers agreed to instruct experts of respective sides to accelerate the talks on a peace treaty as a part of the preparations for President Putin's visit to Japan.

2. Overview of Japan-Russia relations

(1)	Opening Statement At the beginning of the meeting, Foreign Minister Kawaguchi repeated her words of condolence concerning the armed attack on law-enforcement bodies in the Russian Republic of Ingushetia on June 21 to Foreign Minister Lavrov in addition to the message of condolence she had sent him earlier and further referred to the cooperation between Japan and Russia in the area of terrorism. To this, Foreign Minister Lavrov expressed his appreciation.
(2)	Strategic significance of Japan-Russia relations The two foreign ministers reaffirmed the strategic significance of the cooperative relations between Japan and Russia in the Asia-Pacific region.
(3)	150th anniversary of the signing of the Shimoda Treaty (the Treaty of Commerce, Navigation and Delimitation between Japan and Russia) The two foreign ministers reconfirmed that Japan and Russia would each host a commemorative events for the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Shimoda Treaty and would coordinate the details of these commemorative events.

3. A peace treaty negotiation

(1)	The two foreign ministers reaffirmed their common principle for negotiations to "conclude a peace treaty through the resolution of the issue of the attribution of the Four Northern Islands."
(2)	Explaining to the public The two foreign ministers reconfirmed that efforts would be continued to explain to the public in both countries. The two foreign ministers also shared the recognition that the Japan-Russia Eminent Persons' Council, exchange of parliamentary members between Japan and Russia and the Japan-Russia Forum had been playing significant roles in raising awareness among the public in both countries.
(3)	Mutual visits between Japanese citizens and the current Russian residents of the Four Northern Islands etc. The two foreign ministers concurred on the need to further improve the content and management of the projects on visits to the Four Northern Islands, including mutual visits between Japanese citizens and the current Russian residents of the Four Northern Islands, the so-called "free visits" and visits to the graves.

4. Individual issues

(1)	Cooperation for denuclearization Foreign Minister Lavrov expressed his appreciation towards Japan's assistance in the area of denuclearization cooperation such as project on dismantlement of nuclear submarines, to which Foreign Minister Kawaguchi replied that Japan, as well as, attached importance to the cooperation in the area of denuclearization and that the cooperation would be continued. The two foreign ministers welcomed the contributions amounting to 10 million Australian dollars to the Committee on Cooperation for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons (On June 24, apart from this foreign ministers' meeting, a signing ceremony was conducted on a document relating to this by relevant officials with the attendance of Foreign Minister Kawaguchi.)
(2)	Energy The two foreign ministers reaffirmed that energy was the area in which the strategic and economic relations between Japan and Russia could expect major developments.
(3)	Fisheries Foreign Minister Kawaguchi stated that the major delay, solely on Russia's account, in procedures for this year's kelp gathering around Kaigara Island and catching salmon and trout in Russia's exclusive economic zone had been regrettable and requested that Russia prevent any future recurrence, to which Foreign Minister Lavrov stated that the Russian side would strive to prevent a recurrence.
(4)	International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Foreign Minister Kawaguchi restated Japan's position regarding this matter.
(5)	The Kyoto Protocol Foreign Minister Kawaguchi once again requested Russia's early ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, to which Foreign Minister Lavrov responded that efforts were being made in Russia towards ratification.
(6)	Detention in Siberia As for the issue of those Japanese nationals who were detained in Siberia, under the backdrop of the aged relevant parties, Foreign Minister Kawaguchi requested Russia to continue its sincere efforts on activities such as collection of their remains on the base of the treaty concluded in 1991. To this, Foreign Minister Lavrov expressed his intention to make efforts in this regard.
(7)	Accession of Russia to the World Trade Organization (WTO) The two foreign ministers agreed to advance bilateral negotiations rigorously.

5. International situation

As for the international situation, the issues of Iraq and North Korea were discussed during the working lunch.

Back to Index