Press Releases
Russian Prime Minister Mishustin’s visit to the Northern Territories (Statement by Foreign Minister MOTEGI Toshimitsu)
July 26, 2021
- Today, on July 26, I was informed that Mr. Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, visited Etorofu Island.
- This visit is extremely regrettable, as it is incompatible with the Government of Japan’s consistent position on the Northern Territories and hurts public sentiment of the Japanese people.
- The Northern Territories issue remains unresolved even today, more than 70 years after the end of the Second World War, and Japan has been conducting negotiations on a peace treaty energetically with the Soviet Union/Russian Federation. At the Japan-Russia Summit Telephone Talk in September last year, the two leaders confirmed once again that it was agreed at the summit meeting in Singapore in November 2018 to “accelerate negotiations on the basis of the Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration of 1956”. Against such a backdrop, the visit to the Northern Territories by the Prime Minister of Russia taking place is unacceptable for Japan and it does not contribute to the Japan-Russia relations at all.
- Japan strongly urges the Russian side to act in a constructive manner for the future progress of the Japan-Russia relations, towards advancing the peace treaty negotiations, including the joint economic activities on the Four Northern Islands.