Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida Visits Russia

1. Courtesy Call on President Putin

(5:50 p.m., Dec. 2 (local time, the same hereafter), for approximately 30 minutes)

(1) President Putin welcomed the continuation of dialogues between Japan and Russia, including those at the leader, inter-ministerial, and parliamentarian levels, and also welcomed Minister Kishida’s visit to Russia. He indicated his intention to engage in consultations in all issues which both sides have interest and to cooperate in a broad range of areas with Japan, including the eightpoint cooperation plan.

(2) Minister Kishida stated that the purpose of his visit to Russia is to have meeting with Mr. Lavrov to finalize preparations for President Putin’s upcoming visit to Japan, with a view to ensuring outcomes in a wide range of areas, including political areas, such as the issue of concluding a peace treaty, and economic areas. Minister Kishida also noted that after the meeting of the Japan-Russia Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Issues in November, progress has been made towards ensuring outcomes for President Putin’s visit to Japan, including documents between relevant authorities. Minister Kishida handed a personal letter from Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, to President Putin, conveying the resolve of Prime Minister Abe and the desire of the Government of Japan to make the President’s visit to Japan one of the utmost significance.

(3) Also, both President Putin and Minister Kishida referred to the issue of the concluding of a peace treaty and had some exchange on this matter.

(4) At the close of the meeting, President Putin handed Minister Kishida a personal letter addressed to Prime Minister Abe and expressed his expectation that wide ranged discussions would take place at the Japan-Russia Foreign Ministers’ meeting, to be held the following day. The meeting ended with both sides confirming that they will continue mutual efforts to ensure the success of President Putin’s visit to Japan.

2. Japan-Russia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Working Lunch

(Dec. 3, from 11:15 a.m. for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes and from 2:00 p.m. for approximately 1 hour)

For the President Putin’s visit to Japan which is scheduled two weeks later, both sides had intensive and meaningful discussion including the territorial issues and the issue of concluding a peace treaty to make meaningful outcome which both sides satisfied at the time of the President’s visit.

(1) Issue of concluding a peace treaty

The two sides deeply engaged in discussion on the issue of concluding a peace treaty and territorial issues. Based on the discussion at the Foreign Ministers’ meeting in April and the series of conversations at the leader level since then, serious and in-depth discussions that can contribute to the Summit Meeting in Yamaguchi was held.

(2) Bilateral relations

(i) Northern Territories issue

Minister Kishida stated that the recent announcement by Russia concerning the deployment of surface-to-ship missiles on Etorofu and Kunashiri islands is regrettable as it is inconsistent with Japan’s stance on the Northern Territories and raises concerns among Japanese citizens.

Minister Kishida also requested the Russian side to provide necessary support measures for conducting Visit to grave and Free visits to the Four Islands as some visits were confronted with troubles both this year and last year.

(ii) Political areas

Both Ministers highly evaluated the progress has been made in bilateral considerations on the amendment of the Agreement Between the Government of Japan and the Government of Russian Federation on the Prevention of Incidents On and Over the High Seas and also the development of cooperation among maritime safety authorities, including mutual visits by senior officials and joint training. They also welcomed the continuation and expansion of joint cooperation in anti-drug measures.

Both Ministers confirmed the progress over the Inter-Foreign Ministry Consultation Plan and agreed to proceed with the coordination to finalize the paper by President Putin’s visit to Japan. With regard to the issue of internment in Siberia, Minister Kishida requested the continued engagement by Russia in this issue for the provision of related materials and so on.

(ii) Political areas

Both Ministers highly evaluated the progress has been made in bilateral considerations on the amendment of the Agreement Between the Government of Japan and the Government of Russian Federation on the Prevention of Incidents On and Over the High Seas and also the development of cooperation among maritime safety authorities, including mutual visits by senior officials and joint training. They also welcomed the continuation and expansion of joint cooperation in anti-drug measures.

Both Ministers confirmed the progress over the Inter-Foreign Ministry Consultation Plan and agreed to proceed with the coordination to finalize the paper by President Putin’s visit to Japan. With regard to the issue of internment in Siberia, Minister Kishida requested the continued engagement by Russia in this issue for the provision of related materials and so on.

(iii) People-to-people exchanges

Regarding easing of visa restrictions, both Ministers confirmed that the measures which is aimed at expanding mutual people-to-people exchanges are now largely in place in both Japan and Russia. From the perspective of promoting mutual understanding among the people of both countries, the Ministers agreed to expand public exchanges, including among the youth, and implement introduction programs in each other’s countries. Both sides agreed to proceed with final coordination to materialize those projects as the outcome of the visit of President Putin.

(iv) Economic areas

Minister Kishida noted that following the Japan-Russia Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Issues in November, for the outcome of President Putin’s visit, more than ten documents are currently being coordinated among the relevant authorities and work is in process on creating outcomes in accordance with the work plan on the eight-point cooperation plan that was agreed in November. Minister Lavrov expressed his interest in the further development of trade and economic relations between Japan and Russia.

With regard to the fisheries industry, both Ministers welcomed the conclusion of negotiation over the framework concerning Japanese fishing vessels operating in the waters near the Northern Territories which was conducted until day before and shared views about the importance of enabling Japanese and Russian fishermen to continue stable operations. Minister Kishida once again requested the additional provision of information concerning alternative fishing method to drift-net fishing of salmon and trout.

(3) International affairs

(i) North Korea

Minister Kishida highly evaluated the adoption of the new United Nations Security Council resolution and emphasized the importance of strengthening pressure on North Korea through the strict implementation of related resolutions. Both Ministers confirmed that Japan and Russia will cooperate closely in enhancing efficacy of the newly adopted resolution, in order that North Korea abandons its nuclear and missile programs. Minister Kishida also requested Russia’s understanding and cooperation with regard to the abduction issue.

(ii) Syria

Minister Kishida expressed strong concern about the further deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Syria, and stated that importance of achieving a cessation of hostilities and implementing humanitarian assistance and encouraged Russia to play a constructive and responsible role in the Syrian crisis as a responsible actor. Minister Lavrov explained the Russian view with regard to the situation in Syria.

Japan-Russia Relations