Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012

Japan and Russia agreed Saturday to strengthen bilateral economic and security cooperation, despite the lack of progress in resolving a long-standing territorial dispute.

"With the security environment in the Asia-Pacific region experiencing significant change, Japan-Russia relations are taking on growing importance," Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba told a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, after their meeting in Tokyo.

Genba said the two countries agreed to prioritize cooperation over trade, energy and security, aiming "to build appropriate ties for our partnership in the region."

Japan and Russia have been at odds over the sovereignty of islands off Hokkaido seized by Soviet troops after Japan's surrender in World War II on Aug. 15, 1945. The dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai islet group has prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty to formally end the war.

Genba said settling the territorial issue and concluding a peace treaty are more important than ever if the two countries are to forge "true bonds of friendship," adding he wants Tokyo and Moscow to hold meaningful talks on the sovereignty of the islands.

Lavrov said Russia is prepared to resume talks with Japan over the process for moving toward a peace treaty after its presidential elections in March, which Prime Minister Vladimir Putin hopes will see him reinstalled in the Kremlin.

Lavrov, who has maintained Moscow's long-held position that the islands are legally part of Russian territory, said he wants to seek "a way to resolve the dispute acceptable to both sides."

But settling the issue to Japan's satisfaction remains uncertain, as Russia is increasingly viewing the development of its Far East region as critical to its future.

The two sides agreed to make efforts to settle the territorial issue in a calm atmosphere and did not rule out the possibility of carrying out joint economic development projects on and around the disputed islands.

Genba said Japan has already made "concrete proposals" in regard to joint programs, but that differences with Russia remain over the nature of such projects.

Lavrov said he will try to create an environment in which Japan can carry out economic activities on and around the islands with Russia, such as fishing, farming and tourism, without Tokyo's "legal stance" being harmed.

Despite the territorial dispute, Japan and Russia seem well-suited for energy cooperation.

The two foreign ministers did not agree on any specific energy projects this time, however. Instead, they signed an agreement to simplify procedures for obtaining business visas in an effort to increase tourism and business ties between the two countries.

For Japan's part, the agreement will allow citizens to apply for visas for stays not exceeding 90 days without requiring letters of invitation from Russia.

The accord will also extend the validity of multiple-entry visas for Japanese traveling to Russia for business and other nontourist purposes from the current one year to three years.

Although bilateral trade has expanded in recent years, the number of Japanese and Russians traveling between the two countries annually has remained between 120,000 and 150,000, according to the Foreign Ministry.

This is far below the equivalent figures for China or South Korea, which both total more than 5 million people.

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