In a recent appearance before the Diet, Foreign Minister Taro Aso floated the idea of settling the long-standing feud with Russia over the sovereignty of the Northern Territories (four islands off Hokkaido) by evenly dividing the total area of dispute. In September, Aso sug gested the possibility of accepting the reversion of three of four islands.
At a subsequent news conference, Aso denied that the government was seriously considering a plan to equally divide the territories between Japan and Russia, but it is outrageous that Aso, as the top Japanese diplomatic leader, even mentioned such an idea. His remarks could have sent the wrong message to Russia that Japan was ready to change its negotiating stance, hurting Japan's national interest.
Japan's policy regarding the territories is based on the 1993 Japan-Russia Tokyo Declaration: that the two nations would seek to sign a peace treaty by settling the issue of sovereignty over the four islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and Habomai.