Russian Foreign Minister Tells Japan To Accept The Result Of World War II

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DW: Russia urges Japan to 'accept the result' of World War II

Russia's foreign minister has called on Tokyo to accept the outcome of the war in order to advance discussions on a peace plan. Russia and Japan have yet to sign a peace treaty since the end of World War II.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday questioned whether Japan had fully embraced the results of World War II when it came to resolving a territorial dispute that could pave the way for a peace treaty.

Speaking during an annual press conference, Lavrov said recognizing the outcome of World War II "is neither an ultimatum nor a precondition" for talks.

"It is an inevitable and indispensable factor in today's international system," said Lavrov. "Why is Japan the only country in the world that cannot accept the result of World War II in their entirety?"

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Update #1: Russia calls on Japan to recognise outcome of World War Two -- Reuters
Update #2: Russia-Japan Peace Treaty Talks Will Not Affect Kurils Residents - Kremlin -- Sputnik

WNU Editor: Russia is not the only country that has a "beef" with Japan over the Second World War. China, the Koreas, Philippines, etc. .... they have a greater beef with Japan than Russia.

Russian President Putin Offers To Sign A 'Peace Deal' With Japan

Reuters: Russia's Putin tells Japan's Abe: 'Let's sign peace deal this year'

Russian President Vladimir Putin turned to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on a conference stage on Wednesday and offered to sign a peace treaty by the end of this year to formally end World War Two hostilities between their countries.

But soon after Putin made the dramatic offer, a Japanese government spokesman in Tokyo said Japan wants the return of islands in the Pacific captured by Russian troops in the last days of the war before it signs a peace treaty.

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WNU Editor: Japan has rejected Russian President Putin's offer to sign a peace deal this year .... Japan Rejects Putin's Offer to Abe of Peace Treaty by Year-End (Bloomberg).

More News On Russian President Putin Offering To Sign A 'Peace Deal' With Japan

Russia’s Putin suggests long-awaited peace treaty to Japan -- AP
Putin proposes Russia, Japan sign historic peace treaty this year -- AFP
Putin wants a peace treaty with Japan 'before the end of this year' -- CNBC
In Surprise Move, Putin Proposes Signing Peace Pact With Japan This Year -- RFE
Putin suggests Russia and Japan agree to peace deal ‘without any preconditions’ by year’s end -- AFP-JIJI, Kyodo, Japan Times
Vladimir Putin offers Kuril Islands peace deal to Japan's Abe -- DW
Putin Offers Abe Peace Treaty, Japan to Proceed After Kuril Islands Issue Solved -- Sputnik
Putin offers Japan’s Abe peace treaty by end of year without preconditions -- RT
Putin calls on Japan to sign peace treaty before year-end without preliminary conditions -- TASS
Putin Proposes to Sign a Peace Deal This Year With Japan's Abe -- Moscow Times
Moscow and Tokyo continue to work on peace treaty, vows Putin's spokesman -- TASS

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Waited Two And A Half Hours For Russian President Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe share a light moment during their visit at Kodokan judo hall in Tokyo, Japan, December 16. Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool/Reuters

UPI: Russia's Vladimir Putin late again to summit with Shinzo Abe

Russian President Vladimir Putin was late to a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe by about two and a half hours, according to multiple Japanese press reports.

The Russian leader, whose tardiness has become legendary, kept Abe waiting during a Russia-Japan summit at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Monday, Kyodo News and Yomiuri Shimbun reported.

Abe and his officials may have not been pleased -- the Japanese were "dealt a setback" because of Putin's delayed arrival, according to reports.

Putin was also late for a December 2016 summit in Japan, arriving three hours later than scheduled.

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WNU Editor: I have had this happen to me before .... waiting for people in their lobby or office. My rule is simple .... after 15 minutes if the person is not there I will ask if there is an emergency. If the answer is not to my satisfaction .... I leave. In the second meeting .... and there was always a second meeting .... I always got what I wanted.

Japanese PM Abe Meets Russian President Putin At Sochi

VOA: Russia-Japan Leaders Meet as Tensions Loom

MOSCOW—Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in Russia Friday hoping to ease strained relations between Tokyo and Moscow before President Vladmir Putin heads to China for a bilateral summit next month.

At the top of the agenda was a long-running dispute over the group of islands Russia calls the southern Kurils and Japan calls the Northern Territories. But Moscow and Tokyo were both quick to dismiss any suggestions that Friday’s meeting would lead to a quick fix to their long-standing territorial dispute.

The governments in Tokyo and Moscow have yet to sign a peace treaty for World War II after Soviet troops seized four islands. While Japan has demanded the return of the islands, Russia has offered to give back only two of them.

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WNU Editor: I expected nothing from this meeting. Putin agreed to meet him to start the process of getting rid of sanctions, and Japanese PM Abe met him to show to his constituency back home that he wants to resolve the island dispute with Russia.

More News On Today's Meeting Between Japanese PM Abe And Russian President Putin

Kuril Islands Discussed Very Constructively at Putin-Abe Meeting - Kremlin -- Sputnik
Lavrov: Putin and Abe show determination for dialogue in all directions -- TASS
Kremlin: Putin and Abe discussed territorial dispute in 'constructive' way - RIA -- Reuters
Putin, Abe Hold 'Constructive' Talks On Disputed Islands -- RFE
Japanese PM Abe meets Putin looking to warm ties despite island dispute -- AFP

Russia - Japan Relations Are Still In A Deep Freeze

Wall Street Journal

David J. Kramer, American Interest: The Word in Tokyo: Crimea

Faced with its own long-standing territorial issues with Russia, Japan under Shinzo Abe is holding a strong line against the illegal annexation of Crimea.

It took a recent trip to Japan to hear “Crimea” mentioned whenever the subject of Russia came up. Two years after Russia invaded Ukraine, starting with Crimea and its illegal annexation, one rarely hears about the peninsula these days in Europe or the United States. Distracted by Russian actions in Syria, Western government officials and analysts have essentially written off Crimea as a part of Russia over which Ukraine will never regain possession. When they do focus on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, they zero in on Russia’s ongoing aggression in eastern Ukraine—which merits a strong Western response much like the annexation of Crimea does.

Japanese officials are mindful of Russia’s ongoing aggression in the Donbas region as well. But every time the issue of Russia and Japan-Russian relations came up during a week-long visit to Tokyo last week at the invitation of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, our Japanese interlocutors, whether from the government, media, or think tank world, started their reply with Crimea.

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WNU Editor: Crimea cannot be compared to the islands that are in dispute north of Japan .... and this is Japan's mistake. Crimea is a heavily populated peninsula that is dominated by Russian speaking people .... their loyalties are to Russia not Ukraine .... especially now. But the islands that are in dispute north of Japan is a different story. They are lightly populated .... and this dispute is now primarily political with both sides determined to not back down. I personally believe that an accommodation on these islands will be found in the future .... but for now .... it is distraction that diverts people's attentions from other issues, and in Japan's case .... it is its economy that is Prime Minister Abe's biggest concern .... Why Abenomics is failing (Takamitsu Sawa, Japan Times).

Tensions On The Kuril Islands Has Resulted In Russian President Putin's Postponing His Japan Visit Indefinitely

The Kuril Islands. Wikipedia

The Guardian: Vladimir Putin's visit to Japan postponed indefinitely

Moscow’s hardline stance on disputed island group torpedoes bilateral talks with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe that were set for later this year.

Vladimir Putin’s highly anticipated visit to Japan has been postponed indefinitely, amid anger in Tokyo at Moscow’s stance on a long-running territorial dispute and concern about Russia’s involvement in the Syrian conflict.

The Russian president was to have visited Tokyo by the end of the year to hold talks with Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, on the Northern Territories, a group of four islands seized from Japan by the Soviet Union towards the end of the second world war.

The dispute over the islands has prevented the two countries from signing a postwar peace treaty and soured ties between successive administrations.

Update: Putin unlikely to visit Japan by year-end due to territorial row -- Japan Times/Kyodo

WNU Editor: This dispute goes back centuries .... and will probably continue into the next. On a side note of interest .... there are a lot of Ukrainian ex-pats living there.

Chinese And Russian Aircraft Are Testing Japanese Air Defenses

A Japanese F-15J allegedly buzzing a Chinese Tu-154 in June.

Japan Intercepted Record Number of Chinese and Russian Military Aircraft -- USNI

Japan intercepted a record number of Russian and Chinese aircraft close to its territorial waters over the past six months.

The country’s military flew 533 intercepts during the first half of fiscal year 2014, according to a Jane’s Defence Weekly report. Compared to that same period in 2013, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), as the Japanese air force is known, flew 308 sorties.

The increasing number of intercepts is part of a growing trend. The JASDF has flown an increasing number of air intercepts since 2011. In fiscal year 2011, there were 425 intercepts, 567 in 2012 and 810 in 2013. If the trend continues, the number of intercepts could rise to Cold War-era levels.

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My Comment: Russia is testing Japan's new air defenses, and China is now feeling confident to stake it's territorial claims over Japanese objections.

Tensions Are Rising On The Russian - Japanese Border

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Russia Builds Op, Modernizes Military On Disputed Kuril Islands -- RT

The Russian Defense Ministry will modernize military settlements on the Kuril Islands and supply some 120 new combat vehicles by the end of the year. Russia’s sovereignty over four of the islands is disputed by Tokyo.

The islands have been a constant source of tension between Russia and Japan for decades. There are some 20,000 people living there at the moment, many of them Russian military and their families, who may see their living conditions improved over the next two years.

“Over the period to 2016 all major objects – more than 150 of them – on the islands of Iturup and Kunashir will be completed. Those will be modern fully autonomous military settlements with a developed social infrastructure,” said Col. Gen. Sergey Surovikin, commander of the Russian eastern military district.

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More News On Rising Border Tensions Between Russia And Japan

Russia to Build 150 Military Facilities on Kuril Islands -- RIA Novosti
Russia to 'boost military presence' on disputed Kurils -- Business Standard/AFP
Russian military planes spotted again, Japan scrambles fighters -- Kyodo News Agency
Minister concerned by Russian military flights near Japan -- Global Post/Kyodo News
Japan defence chief puzzled by Russian warplanes -- Times of India/AFP
Japan's Territorial Disputes -- With Russia and China -- Yuriko Koike, Huffington Post

A Russia - Japan Military Alliance?

(L-R) Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera attend the news conference after the first Japan-Russia "two-plus-two" meeting in Tokyo, Japan, Nov. 2, 2013. (Xinhua)

Japan, Russia Agree To Cooperate On Security as China Rises -- New York Times/Reuters

TOKYO — Japan and Russia held their first joint defense and foreign ministers' meeting on Saturday and agreed to boost security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific as they both warily watch neighboring China's rising influence.

Japan and Russia have never signed a treaty to mark the end of World War Two because of a territorial dispute but they are moving to deepen ties despite that, and despite Russian concern about Japan's role in a U.S. missile defense program.

The foreign ministers of both countries said the meeting helped build trust.

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More News On Moscow And Tokyo Agreeing To Expand Military Cooperation

Japan and Russia begin talks, agree to deepen trust, continue discussing territorial dispute -- Washington Post/AP
Japan, Russia Agree to Expand Defense Ties -- New York Times/AP
Japan, Russia Cosy Up As China Dispute Simmers -- Defense News/AFP
Russia, Japan Agree to Expand Security Cooperation -- Wall Street Journal
Moscow, Tokyo To Expand Military Cooperation -- Radio Free Europe
Japan, Russia to agree to cooperate over Asian security -- Global Post/Kyodo
'A new page’: Russia, Japan hold first 2+2 talks, aim to boost military cooperation -- RT
Japan, Russia hold "two-plus-two" meeting, but at variance -- Xinhuanet

My Comment: There are still many differences between the two countries .... mainly this one.

Japan And Russia Agree That They Should Formally End World War II

Russia's President Vladimir Putin (r.) shakes hands with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a signing ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow. Many new circumstances are driving Moscow and Tokyo to take a fresh look at one another, despite the debate that has raged since the end of World War II about the rightful ownership of the Kuril Islands. Kirill Kudryavtsev/Reuters

Japan And Russia Want To Finally End World War II, Agree It Is 'Abnormal' Not To -- Christian Science Monitor

Today's summit between Shinzo Abe and Vladimir Putin comes at an opportune moment but may founder on the old problem of the Kuril Islands, which Japan still wants back.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met in the Kremlin Monday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the first top-level Russo-Japanese summit in almost a decade.

The two wrestled for hours with the problem that has stymied Russian and Japanese leaders for almost 70 years: how to find a mutually acceptable and hopefully profitable way to finally end World War II.

"The leaders of both countries agreed that the situation where, 67 years after the conclusion of [World War II], we have still been unable to conclude a bilateral peace treaty, looks abnormal," said a joint statement at the meeting's end Monday.

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My Comment: The issue that prevents such a signing are the Kuril islands. More to the point .... the Russians administer the islands, but Japan claims that the islands belong to them.

Update: Japan and Russia agree to resolve island dispute -- BBC

Japan Scrambles Fighter Jets After Russian Jets Entered Japanese Airspace

Japan Scrambles Fighters After Russian Jets Approach Island -- CNN

(CNN) -- Japan's military scrambled fighters Thursday after two Russian SU-27 jets entered Japanese airspace off Rishiri Island near the tip of Japan's northernmost Hokkaido Island, according to the country's Defense Ministry.

The Russian jets left Japanese airspace without incident after a little more than a minute, the ministry said.

The incident occurred near territory disputed by Japan and Russia since the end of World War II.

Japanese officials lodged an official protest with Russia over the incident, Japan's Kyodo news service reported.

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More News On Reports That Russian Fighters Entered Japanese Airspace

Japan: Russian Fighter Jets Enter Its Airspace -- Wall Street Journal
Russian fighter jets 'breach Japan airspace' -- BBC
Russian Fighter Jets Breach Japanese Air Space: Tokyo -- Voice of America
Two Russian fighters breach Japanese airspace: Tokyo -- AFP
Japan Says 2 Russian Fighters Entered Its Airspace -- ABC News/AP
Russia denies intrusion into Japan's airspace -- Xnihuanet
Russia denies violation of Japan's airspace -- AP
Russia denies fighter jets breached Japan's air space -- Reuters
Moscow denies Russian fighter jets violated Japanese airspace -- RT
Japan Pledges to Solve Territorial Dispute with Russia -- Voice of America
Island dispute keeps Russia-Japan relations on rocks -- RT

Japan's Airspace Was Nearly "Invaded" 425 Times In 2011

Japan Was Nearly Invaded 425 Times Last Year -- Business Insider

Data quietly released this week by the Japanese Defense Ministry reveals China and Russia are to blame for a record number of emergency operations by Japan's Air Self-Defense Force.

Kyodo news agency reports:

Japan scrambled fighter planes 156 times in response to Chinese aircraft approaching Japanese airspace in fiscal 2011, a record high number for China since the Defense Ministry started releasing such data by country in 2001, the ministry said Wednesday.

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My Comment: The Russians will continue testing Japanese airspace .... but it is with the Chinese that I expect tensions to increase as they continue with their military buildup in the region. So ....

.... Japan scrambled fighter planes 156 times in response to Chinese aircraft approaching Japanese airspace in fiscal 2011

Expect this number to rapidly increase in the next year or two.

Russia Beefs Up its Military Forces On The Disputed Kuril Islands

Russian Plan To Deploy Missiles On Disputed Islands 'Regrettable' - Japan -- RIA Novosti

Japan is concerned over Russia's plans to deploy missiles on a group of disputed islands, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said on Wednesday.

Russian media quoted on Tuesday a high-ranking representative of Russia's General Staff as saying that Russia was planning to deploy Bastion missile systems with Yakhont anti-ship cruise missiles on the disputed South Kuril Islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan.

"This is very regrettable," Edano told journalists in Tokyo. He added that Japan was following closely the "trends of Russia's military activities in the Far East."

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More News On The Dispute Between Russia And Japan Over The Kuril Islands

Russia to deploy cruise missiles on Kuril Islands -- Xinhuanet
Japan Concerned Over Russia’s Military Buildup On Disputed Kuril Islands -- Eurasia Review
Japan Regrets Weapons Plan for Isles -- Moscow Times
Japan slams Russian military build-up on islands -- AFP
Japan regrets Russian arms buildup plan for isles -- Jerusalem Post
Japan Says Russian Missile Deployment on Kurils `Regrettable' Amid Dispute -- Bloomberg
Preparing for the worst on the South Kuril Islands -- Mikhail Barabanov, RIA Novosti
Russia gazes East with new defense plans -- Global Times

Japan Demands That The Kuril Islands Be Returned From Russia

Japan-Russia Row Escalates Over Disputed Kurils Islands -- BBC

Japan and Russia have exchanged heated comments over the disputed southern Kuril islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Japan's PM Naoto Kan called a visit by Russia's president to the islands last year an "unforgivable outrage".

Mr Kan was speaking during a rally in Tokyo held to demand the return of the islands, which were occupied by Soviet troops at the end of World War II.

Russian FM Sergei Lavrov responded by saying that Mr Kan's remarks were "clearly undiplomatic".

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More News On Japan`s Demands That The Kuril Islands Be Returned To Them

Japan demands Kuril Islands be returned from Russia -- BBC
Russia and Japan wage war of words over islands -- AFP
Japanese PM Pledges Tenacious Effort to Recover Disputed Islands -- Voice of America
Russia calls on Japan to face realities on disputed islands -- Xinhuanet
Japanese premier's statements undiplomatic - Lavrov -- RIA Novosti
Russian Foreign Ministry condemns anti-Russian rhetoric in Japan (Update 1) -- RIA Novosti
Russia Says Japan PM's Remarks On Kurile Islands 'Undiplomatic' -- Radio Free Europe

Russia-Japan Tension Rises Over Medvedev's Visit To Kuril Islands

More Turf Wars For Japan After Russia's Medvedev Visits Disputed Kuril Islands -- Christian Science Monitor

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited the Kuril Islands Monday, ruffling Japan, which also claims what it calls the Northern Territories. Japan has recently sparred with China over disputed islands.

President Dmitry Medvedev has triggered a huge diplomatic flap with Japan, with whom Russia is still officially at war. He ruffled Japan by staging a visit Monday to the disputed Southern Kuril Islands, four tiny specks of land seized by the Red Army in 1945 and claimed by Japan as its own "Northern Territories."

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More News On The Russian - Japanese Dispute of The Kuril Islands

US backs Japan on Russian leader's visit to disputed isles -- AFP
Snap analysis: Russia scolds Japan with disputed island visit -- Reuters
Medvedev trip puts focus on islands dispute -- Financial Times
Kuril islands dispute between Russia and Japan -- BBC
Japan Protests Russian President's Visit to Disputed Isle -- Voice of America
Japan summons Russian ambassador over Kuril islands visit -- The Telegraph
Medvedev’s Milestone Kurils Trip Irks Japan -- Moscow Times
All the Rage in Japan: Territorial Disputes -- Wall Street Journal
Factbox: Japan and Russia's territorial spat -- Reuters

Another Dispute Over Jurisdiction Of Islands In Asia.

Medvedev Visit To Kuril Islands Stokes Japan Row -- BBC News

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has arrived in the Kurils, defying Japan's warnings not to visit the disputed islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan immediately described Mr Medvedev's visit to Kunashir Island as "regrettable".

Earlier, Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov warned that Mr Medvedev was free to visit any Russian region he chose.

The islands have been under Moscow's control since the end of World War II.

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More News On Russian President Medvedev's Visit To The Kuril Islands

Medvedev visits disputed islands -- Al Jazeera
Japan upset as Russian leader visits disputed isle -- Reuters
Russian president's visit to disputed isle "hurts Japanese public sentiment": Japanese FM -- Xinhuanet
Japan to summon Russian ambassador on isle row-Jiji -- Reuters
Japan says to monitor Russian comments on isle row -- Reuters
Russian President Visits Disputed Island -- Wall Street Journal
Visit to Kurils 'regrettable' -- Straits Times