Russian envoy says peace treaty with Japan is "unrealistic"
According to Nikolay Nozdrev, discussions are unfeasible due to Tokyo's “unfriendly stance” towards Moscow. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Moscow believes meaningful discussions with Tokyo regarding a formal peace treaty are unfeasible as long as Japan maintains its “unfriendly stance” toward Russia, according to Nikolay Nozdrev, the Russian ambassador to Japan.
The two countries have yet to finalize an agreement since the conclusion of World War II, and little progress has been made over nearly eight decades. A critical point of contention is Japan's claim to four islands in the Kuril Archipelago, which were seized by the Soviet Union during the war. Although Japan confirmed through the San Francisco Treaty of 1951 that it had no claims to the Kurils, it later asserted that the islands in question were not part of the archipelago. Russia, however, insists that these four islands are an essential part of its territory.
On Friday, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated that his government would “firmly maintain” the objective of resolving the Kuril issue and “concluding a peace treaty” with Moscow. He expressed disappointment that an agreement had not been reached after so many years, acknowledging that the situation in Japan-Russia relations is currently “difficult” due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
In a later statement to Izvestia, Nozdrev characterized the prime minister's remarks and those of other Japanese politicians as unrealistic. He emphasized, “Back in March 2022, we officially announced that, given Tokyo’s unfriendly stance, we could not conduct the negotiations on the peace treaty.”
Nozdrev pointed out Japan's unwavering support for Western sanctions against Russia, which have resulted in 25 rounds of “illegal” restrictions since the escalation of tensions between Moscow and Kiev three years ago, including the most recent package in mid-January.
He also highlighted the presence of “a Russophobic campaign” in Japan, fueled by media narratives rife with anti-Russian sentiment. Furthermore, Nozdrev criticized the Japanese government for inconsistencies in its approach, stating that while it expresses a desire to continue dialogue on the peace treaty, it simultaneously propagates anti-Russian rhetoric and threatens sanctions.
“There is a dualism of approaches. It seems to me that no one in Japan itself clearly understands how those two things can coexist,” he concluded.
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
The two countries have yet to finalize an agreement since the conclusion of World War II, and little progress has been made over nearly eight decades. A critical point of contention is Japan's claim to four islands in the Kuril Archipelago, which were seized by the Soviet Union during the war. Although Japan confirmed through the San Francisco Treaty of 1951 that it had no claims to the Kurils, it later asserted that the islands in question were not part of the archipelago. Russia, however, insists that these four islands are an essential part of its territory.
On Friday, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated that his government would “firmly maintain” the objective of resolving the Kuril issue and “concluding a peace treaty” with Moscow. He expressed disappointment that an agreement had not been reached after so many years, acknowledging that the situation in Japan-Russia relations is currently “difficult” due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
In a later statement to Izvestia, Nozdrev characterized the prime minister's remarks and those of other Japanese politicians as unrealistic. He emphasized, “Back in March 2022, we officially announced that, given Tokyo’s unfriendly stance, we could not conduct the negotiations on the peace treaty.”
Nozdrev pointed out Japan's unwavering support for Western sanctions against Russia, which have resulted in 25 rounds of “illegal” restrictions since the escalation of tensions between Moscow and Kiev three years ago, including the most recent package in mid-January.
He also highlighted the presence of “a Russophobic campaign” in Japan, fueled by media narratives rife with anti-Russian sentiment. Furthermore, Nozdrev criticized the Japanese government for inconsistencies in its approach, stating that while it expresses a desire to continue dialogue on the peace treaty, it simultaneously propagates anti-Russian rhetoric and threatens sanctions.
“There is a dualism of approaches. It seems to me that no one in Japan itself clearly understands how those two things can coexist,” he concluded.
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
