Russia guidelines out annual talks with Japan on fishing close to disputed islands

Russia stated on Sunday it is not going to maintain annual talks with Japan on renewing a pact that enables Japanese fishermen to function close to disputed islands, saying Japan has taken anti-Russian measures.

Moscow,UPDATED: Jan 29, 2023 11:56 IST

A normal view reveals the Island of Kunashir, one in every of 4 islands generally known as the Southern Kuriles in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan. (File picture/Reuters)

By Reuters: Russia stated on Sunday it is not going to maintain annual talks with Japan on renewing a pact that enables Japanese fishermen to function close to disputed islands, saying Japan has taken anti-Russian measures.

The islands, off the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, are recognized in Russia because the Kurils and in Japan because the Northern Territories and have been on the core of a long time of pressure between the neighbours.

“In the context of the anti-Russian measures taken by the Japanese government … the Russian side informed Tokyo that it could not agree on the holding of intergovernmental consultations on the implementation of this agreement,” the RIA state information company reported, citing Russia’s overseas ministry.

Japan, a serious U.S. ally, imposed sanctions on dozens of Russian people and organisations quickly after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 final 12 months.

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On Friday, it tightened sanctions on Russia in response to Russian air assaults on Ukrainian cities.

Russia in June suspended the 1998 settlement that allowed Japanese boats to fish close to the islands and Japan’s chief cabinet secretary on Monday advised a information convention that Japan would demand that Russia engages within the annual talks so this 12 months’s fishing operations might start.

But the Russian ministry stated there can be no enchancment in ties except Japan confirmed “respect”.

“To return to a normal dialogue, the Japanese neighbours should show elementary respect for our country, a desire to improve bilateral relations,” the ministry stated, in line with the RIA information company.

Russia and Japan haven’t formally ended World War Two hostilities due to their standoff over the islands, seized by the Soviet Union on the finish of the warfare.

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Published On:

Jan 29, 2023