Japan on Tuesday expressed its “strong protest” against Russia’s decision to abandon negotiations for a peace treaty between the two countries, due to Tokyo’s harsh response to the invasion of Ukraine.
“The latest situation occurred as a result of the Russian aggression against Ukraine , and the Russian attempt to transfer that problem to Japanese-Russian relations is extremely unjustified and absolutely unacceptable,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told parliament.
Japan “strongly protests,” he added, condemning Russia for “unilaterally changing the status quo by force.”
Japan and Russia have tried for years to agree on a post-World War II peace treaty, but the status of four Russian-held islands claimed by Japan has prevented progress.
However, Russia said it will withdraw from the dialogue, citing the “impossibility” of continuing it “with a country that has taken an openly hostile position and seeks to harm our country’s interests.”
Moscow said it will also end the visa-free entry regime for the Japanese on the disputed islands, and withdraw from talks on joint economic activities on them.
Japan has backed its G7 allies in imposing harsh sanctions on Russian financial institutions and authorities over the Ukraine invasion.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pushed hard for years to advance talks with Russia, with little progress over the disputed islands, which Moscow calls the Kurils and Japan calls the Northern Territories.