The St. Petersburg summit held April 29 between Japan's new prime minister, Yoshiro Mori, and Russian President-elect Vladimir Putin marked a new stage in bilateral negotiations on signing a peace treaty. The two nations had earlier agreed to settle their territorial dispute on the Northern Territories by the end of this year, and thus be able to conclude the peace treaty and fully normalize relations.
Putin -- who assumed the presidency Sunday -- promised Mori that he would make a state visit to Japan in late August. It remains to be seen, however, if Japan and Russia will settle their territorial dispute in the remaining months of the year, as the feud has continued for more than 50 years following the end of World War II. Putin and other Russian leaders should realize that it is in Russia's strategic interest to return the small islands off the Far Eastern region to Japan.
The summiteers addressed each other by their nicknames, with Mori calling Putin "Volodya" and Putin calling Mori "Yoshi." Personal friendship is especially important in summit diplomacy. I hope that Mori and Putin will hold frequent talks and have frank and friendly exchanges.