On September 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Vladivostok. (Source: Xinhua/Reuters)
Xinhuanet Beijing, September 3 rd Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met in Vladivostok, the Russian Far East city, on the 2 nd. The territorial issue is an important part of the talks between the two sides.
However, Kremlin spokesman dmitry Peskov said in an interview with the media that the Russian side did not expect a breakthrough in the talks.
[Difficult to break through]
Japan and Russia have a serious dispute over the ownership of the four islands in the south of the Kuril Islands, and so far they have failed to conclude a peace treaty. Kuril Islands is located between kamchatka peninsula in Russian Far East and Hokkaido. The four islands of Tooth Dance, Sedan, Guohou and Choishuo in the south of the archipelago are called the South Kuril Islands by Russia and the four northern islands by Japan.
Since the end of World War II, the four islands have been actually controlled by Russia, but Japan claims sovereignty over them. The dispute over island sovereignty has caused the two countries to fail to conclude a peace treaty after World War II.
Abe attended the second Russian Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok on the 2nd. Before he left Japan, he told reporters that he would strive to make progress on the territorial issue.
Abe and Putin met on the sidelines of the forum. Putin said that Russia is willing to carefully consider Abe’s proposal given at the Sochi meeting.
In May this year, Putin held an informal meeting with Abe in Sochi, a coastal city in southern Russia. Abe proposed a package of economic cooperation plans with Russia, including eight projects in the fields of energy development and industrial revitalization in the Far East. However, the two did not hold a press conference after the meeting, which was interpreted by the outside world as a major disagreement on the key issue of territorial disputes.
Before meeting with Abe, Putin accepted an interview with Bloomberg. He said that although Russia believes that signing a peace treaty with Japan is a key issue and is very willing to solve this problem with Japan, Russia will not trade territory with Japan.
Talking about economy
On the meeting between Russian and Japanese leaders, Kremlin spokesman peskov said: "It is not worth expecting that today’s meeting will lead to a breakthrough."
"This is a multi-faceted issue, which requires experts’ long-term efforts, and of course requires more preparation," peskov said. Abe’s attendance at the Russian Economic Forum shows that Japan is interested in trade and economic cooperation and has confidence in the regional development potential.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said later on the 2nd that Putin and Abe agreed to continue the dialogue on the territorial issue.
Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Shigeng Hongcheng attended the Russian Eastern Economic Forum. He told reporters that he will meet with Russian cabinet ministers to discuss cooperation in specific fields and may reach some agreements.
On the 1st, the Japanese government created a new post of Minister in charge of economic cooperation with Russia. The Japanese media explained that this move aims to show Japan’s sincerity in economic cooperation with Russia and promote progress in the disputed territorial issues between Japan and Russia.
The Japan Broadcasting Association quoted government sources as saying on the 2nd that Japan expects Putin to visit Japan on December 15th, which will be Putin’s first visit to Japan since 2005.
Russia and Japan have been discussing Putin’s visit to Japan since 2013. Putin’s visit to Japan has been put on hold again and again because of the Crimean issue and Japan’s accession to western sanctions against Russia. (Reporter Chen Lixi, editor Li Hong, reported by Xinhua International Client)