No Progress on Northern Territory

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Moscow Kremlin on Thursday. They agreed on making research for joint economic activities in Northern Territory by the experts of both countries next month. They also agreed on using aircraft for annual visit of Japanese ancestors’ grave in Islands of Etorofu and Kunashiri in June, which had been made by ships. However, they made no progress on settling territorial dispute and having peace treaty.

The seventeenth bilateral meeting between Abe and Putin lasted three hours and ten minutes, including fifty-minute tête à tête. Both leaders shared a recognition that they needed to keep close communication on North Korea, which continued to develop missile and nuclear weapon, and on urging Kim Jong-un regime implement accumulated resolutions in United Nations Security Council and refraining from further intimidation.

In the joint press announcement after the meeting, Abe revealed that he agreed with Putin on dispatching joint research team with experts in both public and private sectors to Northern Islands next month. “The project is starting with the effort of both Japan and Russia,” told Abe. He also hoped former residents of Northern Territory to visit their ancestors’ graves in Etorofu or Kunashiri on a sunny day in June.

Both governments consider chartering an aircraft of Aurora Airline in Fareast Russia for visiting the graves. The charter airplane will take off Nakashibetsu Airport, located eastern Hokkaido, land on Etorofu and Kunashiri, and get back to Nakashibetsu in a day. Russian government will increase the ports for ship visiting in Habomai Archipelago in late August.

No agreement on peace treaty negotiation was announced by both leaders, anyway. While Putin reiterates that joint economic activities in Northern Territory would be made under Russian law, Abe insisted on “special institution” that would not harm standpoints of both governments. Putin does not care about Abe’s ambition for settling territorial dispute through building credibility, because there is no dispute on those islands in the viewpoint of Russia.

It is likely that Putin is doubtful on Abe’s behavior of immediately supporting missile strike on Syrian governmental force by United States. Russian media reported that Japan was urging U.S. to put more military pressure on North Korea. Putin has been requiring Japan independent diplomacy from U.S., while expecting economic cooperation. It is hard for Abe to make a legacy of bridging Russia and U.S.