Japanese Far-Right Party Leader Calls to Prioritize Peace Treaty With Russia

© SputnikMitsuhiro Kimura, leader of the Issuikai far-right political party, in Crimea.
Mitsuhiro Kimura, leader of the Issuikai far-right political party, in Crimea. - Sputnik International
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The Japanese government is now committed to establishing a peace treaty with Moscow and resolving the territorial dispute between the two countries, something that even some of Japan’s far-right opposition parties are more than willing to support.

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Mitsuhiro Kimura, leader of the Issuikai far-right political party, one of the biggest nationalist parties in Japan, told Sputnik that along with pushing for the withdrawal of US troops from Japan, his party also advocates establishing a peace treaty with Russia as soon as possible – an act which he believes is long overdue.

"I believe that peace treaty should be signed now, right at this stage. In my opinion, forging a peace treaty doesn’t come down merely to resolving the territorial issue. If we were to fast-forward to a hundred years in the future, this peace treaty means that Japan and Russia could become leaders of the peace process in the world," Kimura said.

He added that he and his party welcome the intention professed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to improve ties with Russia, but pointed out that there are three major factors that threaten to undermine these efforts.

"First of all, it’s the powers (in Japan) that support the pro-American stance. They insist that economic cooperation with Russia is worthless and that Shikotan and Habomai islands will never be returned to Japan. You could say that they fan the anti-Russian sentiment. Secondly, it’s the liberal wing which claims that Russia took Crimea by force, and that Japan must not remove sanctions imposed against Russia because we’re part of the G7, and it would be therefore a violation of the international cooperation principles. They also believe that no meetings with Putin should be held because he hinted in his speeches at the possibility of using nuclear weapons in a confrontation with NATO. And thirdly, there’s the Japanese Communist Party which insists on turning over all four Kuril Islands to Japan," Kimura explained.

He also added that he always supported efforts to make US forces withdraw from Japanese soil because it would help make Japan truly independent, and because the security agreement between the United States and Japan is humiliating to the Japanese people.

© SputnikMitsuhiro Kimura at a memorial in South Ossetia.
Mitsuhiro Kimura at a memorial in South Ossetia. - Sputnik International
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Mitsuhiro Kimura at a memorial in South Ossetia.
© SputnikMitsuhiro Kimura (R) in South Ossetia
Mitsuhiro Kimura (R) in South Ossetia - Sputnik International
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Mitsuhiro Kimura (R) in South Ossetia
© SputnikMitsuhiro Kimura (fourth from the right) with Crimean Tatar representatives after a roundtable panel discussion in Crimea.
Mitsuhiro Kimura (fourth from the right) with Crimean Tatar representatives after a roundtable panel discussion in Crimea. - Sputnik International
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Mitsuhiro Kimura (fourth from the right) with Crimean Tatar representatives after a roundtable panel discussion in Crimea.
© SputnikMitsuhiro Kimura at a memorial complex in Abkhazia.
Mitsuhiro Kimura at a memorial complex in Abkhazia. - Sputnik International
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Mitsuhiro Kimura at a memorial complex in Abkhazia.
© SputnikMitsuhiro Kimura lays flowers at the Sevastopol Heroes Memorial.
Mitsuhiro Kimura lays flowers at the Sevastopol Heroes Memorial. - Sputnik International
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Mitsuhiro Kimura lays flowers at the Sevastopol Heroes Memorial.
© SputnikMitsuhiro Kimura in Simferopol, Crimea.
Mitsuhiro Kimura in Simferopol, Crimea. - Sputnik International
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Mitsuhiro Kimura in Simferopol, Crimea.
© SputnikMitsuhiro Kimura at a university in South Ossetia.
Mitsuhiro Kimura at a university in South Ossetia. - Sputnik International
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Mitsuhiro Kimura at a university in South Ossetia.
© SputnikMitsuhiro Kimura at a voting station in Sudak, Crimea.
Mitsuhiro Kimura at a voting station in Sudak, Crimea. - Sputnik International
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Mitsuhiro Kimura at a voting station in Sudak, Crimea.
© SputnikMitsuhiro Kimura in Pyatigorsk
Mitsuhiro Kimura in Pyatigorsk - Sputnik International
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Mitsuhiro Kimura in Pyatigorsk
© SputnikMitsuhiro Kimura in Pyatigorsk
Mitsuhiro Kimura in Pyatigorsk - Sputnik International
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Mitsuhiro Kimura in Pyatigorsk
© SputnikMitsuhiro Kimura (R) and President of Abkhazia Raul Khajimba.
Mitsuhiro Kimura (R) and President of Abkhazia Raul Khajimba. - Sputnik International
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Mitsuhiro Kimura (R) and President of Abkhazia Raul Khajimba.
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Mitsuhiro Kimura at a memorial in South Ossetia.
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Mitsuhiro Kimura (R) in South Ossetia
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Mitsuhiro Kimura (fourth from the right) with Crimean Tatar representatives after a roundtable panel discussion in Crimea.
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Mitsuhiro Kimura at a memorial complex in Abkhazia.
5/11
Mitsuhiro Kimura lays flowers at the Sevastopol Heroes Memorial.
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Mitsuhiro Kimura in Simferopol, Crimea.
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Mitsuhiro Kimura at a university in South Ossetia.
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Mitsuhiro Kimura at a voting station in Sudak, Crimea.
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Mitsuhiro Kimura in Pyatigorsk
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Mitsuhiro Kimura in Pyatigorsk
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Mitsuhiro Kimura (R) and President of Abkhazia Raul Khajimba.

According to Kimura, the first things he would mandate if he were to become Japan’s Prime Minister would be the withdrawal of US troops from the country’s territory and the signing of a peace treaty with Russia.

"The US army must leave. This doesn’t mean that I call for quarreling with the US. I say that we must clearly declare our independence and attain it for Japan. Also, like I said before, I believe we need to sign a peace treaty and improve relations with Russia as soon as possible. I advocate peaceful coexistence and a full, not selective, neutrality," he said.

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