Solving the Japan-Russia dispute

The Daily Yomiuri/Asia News Network, Tokyo

Will Japan and Russia embark on building a new strategic relationship amid the major changes occurring not only in Asia and the Pacific region but throughout the entire world?

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held bilateral talks after the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit to confirm that Putin would make a state visit to Japan early next year.

Next year will mark the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Japan-Russia treaty of commerce and amity in 1855.

As the two leaders have agreed upon the visit, both countries should make the year 2005 a special one to give impetus to the development of Japan-Russia relations.

Russia borders both China and North Korea. It is a member of the Group of Eight major nations, a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a member of the six-way talks aimed at pressing North Korea to abandon its nuclear development ambitions.

Boosting ties with Russia are important for Japan's national security and for regional security.

In addition, when we take into account the rich natural resources, including natural gas, in Siberia and the far east of Russia, Japan needs to strengthen its ties with Russia as part of the nation's strategy on natural resources.

Yet in a region where countries, including Japan, the United States, China and Russia, compete with one another, relations between Japan and Russia lag those between Japan and the United States or between Japan and China.

Koizumi told Putin that when taking the strategic environment into account, dramatic progress in bilateral relations would serve the strategic benefits of both Japan and Russia. Koizumi's remarks may have been made on the basis of such recognition.

To that end, however, there remains a long-pending bilateral issue that cannot be sidestepped. That is to settle the decades- long territorial dispute over Russian-held islands off Hokkaido and conclude a peace treaty.

There have been a succession of renewed calls from Russia seeking to resolve the dispute through the return of two of the four islands to Japan.

It may be gathered from such calls that Russia is attempting to settle the dispute by returning only two of the four islands, namely Shikotan and the Habomai group of islets, on the basis of the 1956 Japan-Soviet joint declaration.

Such calls were made by Putin himself, followed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during his meeting with Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura, held last week on the sidelines of the APEC meeting in Santiago.

Yet in the 1993 Tokyo declaration, both countries confirmed that the territorial dispute concerned the return of all four islands, including Kunashiri and Etorofu.

Tokyo has made clear its stance that provided Japan's sovereignty over the four islands is acknowledged, it would be flexible as to the manner of return.

Early next year, foreign ministers of both countries will make reciprocal visits in preparations for Putin's planned visit to Japan.

One of the items they will focus on is the territorial dispute.

Now is time for both countries to show wisdom in resolving the issue by taking account of the major changes of the times, so that both countries can see progress in overall relations between them.