Japan and Russia on Aug. 19 held a high-level meeting between officials of both countries' foreign ministries and agreed that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Vladimir Putin will meet Sept. 5 on the fringe of the summit of the Group of 20 leaders to be held in St. Petersburg. The planned meeting will help give impetus to efforts to build a relationship of mutual trust.
The biggest issue between Japan and Russia is a dispute over the sovereignty of the Northern Territories — four islands northeast of the coast of Hokkaido that are occupied and controlled by Russia. Japan should not rush to make a move to resolve the dispute. It is a delicate issue that requires a careful approach. Japan needs patience, perseverance and a well-thought-out strategy.
On April 29, Mr. Abe and Mr. Putin met in Moscow and agreed to restart talks toward a peace treaty. They agreed that it is abnormal that the two countries have not yet signed a peace treaty and that accelerated talks would lead to a mutually acceptable resolution of the territorial issue. It is important that both leaders deepen mutual trust by making use of their chances to meet in the 2014 Winter Olympics in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in February 2014 and at the 2014 Group of Eight summit in June in the same city.