Essay Negotiation over Development of Northern Territory

Japan and Russia are negotiating on how they can cooperate each other in the development of Northern Territory of Japan, over which both governments have been disputing on sovereignty after the end of World War II. In the Vice-Minister level meeting last week, they considered what kind of projects would be possible there. In the concerted effort of the Western countries to put pressure on Russia after its invasion in Ukraine, Japan uniquely seeks economic cooperation to Russia.

Northern Territory consists of three islands and an archipelago: Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and Habomai. While Japan abandoned chained islands of Chishima, extended from northeastern Hokkaido of Japan and Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia, in San Francisco Treaty in 1951, it kept on arguing that Northern Territory was not included in the territory abandoned. In the negotiation between both governments, Japan insisted on returning three islands and an archipelago, while Russia rejected to return two of them, Etorofu and Kunashiri.

Looking for a breakthrough in the deadlocked negotiation, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Vladimir Putin agreed on seeking “new approach” in their meeting last year. “New approach” was interpreted as separating economic cooperation from negotiation over the territory. While Japan had been reluctant in economic cooperation before making progress in negotiation over returning the islands, it had to take further steps to maintain momentum of negotiation.

Basic stance of Japan is to explore development in islands to the extent of not eroding Japan’s sovereignty on the territory. Japan sent Northern Territory a delegation for researching economic potentiality in June. The delegation including engineer, retailer, fishery industry or medical doctor found possibility of business for infrastructure in roads or ports, cultivated fishery, retailing of family commodity or mobile medical treatment. The basic problem is under which laws, Russian or Japanese, should those projects be operated.

In the official meeting in Moscow on Thursday, both governments discussed their proposals, including sightseeing ships for visiting Northern Territory islands or cultivation of sea products. “We agreed on reporting our discussion to each of out top leaders and wait for a decision about what project is meaningful,” told an official from Japan. Although it is expected that Abe and Putin will discuss the promotion of joint economic activities in their meeting next month, major breakthrough will not be achieved as long as Russia is not serious about going beyond the line they have drawn.