VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
On December 27, 1991, the Government of Japan recognised the Russian Federation as a legal successor to the Soviet Union.
In 2003, Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. After that, both sides adopted the Japan-Russia Action Plan, an extensive political document charting guidelines for subsequent efforts to expand bilateral relations. Notably, the plan stipulates expanded political dialogue, talks on concluding a bilateral peace treaty, cooperation on the international scene, trade and economic cooperation, expanded ties in the sphere of law enforcement and defence, as well as more wide-ranging cultural and humanitarian exchanges.
Most of the plan's provisions are being successfully implemented in every field. The Japanese side is also satisfied with its implementation, with the exception of the peace treaty talks.
In April 2008, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda paid a working visit to Moscow and was received by Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev. On July 8, 2008, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and President Dmitry Medvedev held talks during the G8 summit in Toyako. Both leaders coordinated the timeframe of bilateral political dialogue for late 2008 and early 2009.
On November 22, 2008, President Dmitry Medvedev held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru, and on February 18, 2009, they met in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Both leaders agreed that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin would visit Japan in May 2009, and that national leaders would hold separate talks during the upcoming G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy, in July 2009.
On April 2, 2009, President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Taro Aso held a brief talk during the G20 summit in London.
Bilateral trade and economic ties have recently been expanding. Construction of Toyota, Nissan and Suzuki car assembly plants near St Petersburg became a landmark event in Russian-Japanese economic relations. In December 2007, President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori attended the ceremony of commissioning the Toyota plant. In July 2008, Komatsu, the world's second-largest construction equipment maker, laid the cornerstone of its plant in Yaroslavl.
Moscow and Tokyo are making headway in other spheres of bilateral relations, including previously closed spheres. Military contacts and those between national border control and law enforcement agencies continue to expand.
Science and educational contacts are also being expanded. In 2009, Moscow is to host the tenth meeting of the Inter-Governmental Russian-Japanese Commission on Scientific and Technical Cooperation.
In the past few years, Russia and Japan have been expanding their cooperation on the international scene, including efforts to settle the situation on the Korean Peninsula, to combat terrorism, as well as strategic stability issues and cooperation in the UN.
At the same time, the nature of Russian-Japanese relations and their dynamics are influenced by the Japanese-U.S. military-political alliance and by the fact that Tokyo follows in the wake of Washington's policy, including that regarding ties with Russia.
After the August 2008 conflict in the Caucasus, Japan bowed to US pressure and called off or postponed a number of G8 events that were to have involved Russia. However, Tokyo did not curtail or mothball bilateral relations with Moscow.
Russian-Japanese relations are marked by the problem of signing a bilateral peace treaty that would also settle the border demarcation issue. Moscow and Tokyo are conducting the relevant talks.
Japan's unjustified claims to the South Kuril archipelago, namely, Kunashir (Kunashiri), Iturup (Etorofu), Shikotan and Habomai Islands, are the main problem hindering the peace treaty's conclusion. The sides voice diametrically opposite stands on the issue.
At the same time, the unresolved territorial dispute's influence on the development of Russian-Japanese relations has diminished. This is primarily linked with Russia's stronger international positions and Tokyo's understanding of the need to expand bilateral relations, including trade and economic cooperation against the backdrop of sustained Russian economic development and an improved Russian investment climate.
