Newly-elected Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that he wanted to resolve their territorial dispute and sign a peace agreement that would formally end World War II.
Suga took office two weeks
ago, being replaced’ by Shinzo Abe, who had retired due to ill health. Abe, during
his nearly eight years in power spent much time and effort improving relations
with Russia in the hope of resolving the regional dispute, but little progress
was’ made.
The two countries claim a
group of islands occupied by the former Soviet Union in the last days of the
war, preventing them from signing a peace treaty. The islands called the
Northern Territories in Japan and the Krill in Russia, are off the northern coast of Hokkaido, Japan.
"I told Putin that I hope
that Japan-Russia relations will develop comprehensively, including the signing
of a peace agreement," he said. I said we should not leave the regional
issue to the next generation and end it ourselves. "I will work with
President Putin to resolve this issue."
Suga said he was confident
that he and Putin could have a positive relationship in which they could openly
exchange views.
Putin said he hoped the two
countries would continue to hold talks to resolve any current issues.
Resolving the island's dispute
with Russia was one of Abe's diplomatic goals. They launched joint economic
projects on the disputed islands under Russian rule. However, Russia has
stepped up its military presence on the islands, and has held military
exercises just hours before Tuesday's talks.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu
Kato said Japan had protested to Russia over the exercise, saying it was
"unacceptable".
Suga has spoken by phone with
world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, US President Donald
Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
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