Japanese PM Expresses Regret Over Comments on Russian Nuclear Waste, According to Reports
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has issued an apology following comments from Japanese officials proposing the disposal of nuclear waste on Russia’s Kuril Islands. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has issued an apology following government officials' controversial suggestion to dispose of nuclear waste on Russia’s Kuril Islands, as reported by the Mainichi and Nikkan newspapers on Monday.
“This is something that should never have happened,” Ishiba reportedly stated.
The Kuril Islands' sovereignty has been a contentious issue between Moscow and Tokyo for decades. Known as the Northern Territories in Japan, these islands were seized by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. Russia maintains that its claim is supported by post-war agreements, while Japan asserts that at least some of the islands are excluded from those treaties and are part of Hokkaido Prefecture.
Although the two countries ended their formal state of war in the mid-1950s, they have not signed a peace treaty.
During a parliamentary meeting on Monday, Hokkaido MP Kamiya Hiroshi questioned Ishiba about a prior comment from a senior official at Japan’s Nuclear Waste Management Organization. This official had suggested that establishing a radioactive waste disposal site on the Kurils would be like “killing three or four birds with one stone,” according to reports from Mainichi and Nikkan.
“I don’t know what the intention behind the comment was, but I think there was some laxity, arrogance, or conceit,” Ishiba reportedly responded, emphasizing that such a proposal is “off the table.”
“As the person in charge of the government, I would like to deeply apologize,” the prime minister stated.
In March 2022, following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict and Japan's participation in international sanctions against Russia, Moscow halted all peace treaty discussions with Tokyo. Additionally, Russia revoked the visa-free travel privileges for Japanese citizens to the Kurils and canceled fishing agreements.
In June of last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin remarked, “Japan’s statement on joining efforts to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia” disrupted the dialogue between the two nations. He further stated that all obstacles to resuming discussions have been created by Japan.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
“This is something that should never have happened,” Ishiba reportedly stated.
The Kuril Islands' sovereignty has been a contentious issue between Moscow and Tokyo for decades. Known as the Northern Territories in Japan, these islands were seized by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. Russia maintains that its claim is supported by post-war agreements, while Japan asserts that at least some of the islands are excluded from those treaties and are part of Hokkaido Prefecture.
Although the two countries ended their formal state of war in the mid-1950s, they have not signed a peace treaty.
During a parliamentary meeting on Monday, Hokkaido MP Kamiya Hiroshi questioned Ishiba about a prior comment from a senior official at Japan’s Nuclear Waste Management Organization. This official had suggested that establishing a radioactive waste disposal site on the Kurils would be like “killing three or four birds with one stone,” according to reports from Mainichi and Nikkan.
“I don’t know what the intention behind the comment was, but I think there was some laxity, arrogance, or conceit,” Ishiba reportedly responded, emphasizing that such a proposal is “off the table.”
“As the person in charge of the government, I would like to deeply apologize,” the prime minister stated.
In March 2022, following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict and Japan's participation in international sanctions against Russia, Moscow halted all peace treaty discussions with Tokyo. Additionally, Russia revoked the visa-free travel privileges for Japanese citizens to the Kurils and canceled fishing agreements.
In June of last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin remarked, “Japan’s statement on joining efforts to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia” disrupted the dialogue between the two nations. He further stated that all obstacles to resuming discussions have been created by Japan.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
