Japan-Russia Relations

Prime Minister Abe encouraged the pursuit of ongoing cooperation on efforts to realize the joint economic activities on the Four Northern Islands and on humanitarian measures for the former island residents, including grave visits by airplane.

Based on the recent agreement reached in Singapore to accelerate negotiations on a peace treaty on the basis of the Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration of 1956, Japan and Russia agreed that Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, will be responsible for the negotiations and that the negotiations will be handled by Mr. Takeo Mori, Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Igor Vladimirovich Morgulov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, under the foreign ministers’ leadership.　Furthermore, they confirmed that the negotiations will be accelerated. In addition, the Russian side decided that Deputy Minister Morgulov will be positioned as Special Representative for the President and the Japanese side decided that Senior Deputy Minister Mori will be positioned as Special Representative for the Prime Minister.

The two leaders shared the view that if possible, a Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will be arranged prior to Prime Minister Abe’s visit to Russia early in the new year.

The two leaders shared the view that they will move Japan-Russia cooperation in the field of security ahead more powerfully.

Prime Minister Abe expressed concern regarding the seizure of Ukrainian naval vessels in the Kerch Strait. He also conveyed his expectation that both of the parties concerned will exhibit restraint and work towards calming down the situation, including through the early release of the vessels and crew members.