TOKYO (Sputnik) — The two countries have been de facto at war since World War II ended over 70 years ago.
"Today, according to the orders of our leaders we will hold the third round of peace treaty talks. I want to greet you as the head of the Japanese delegation," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov told Japan’s Chikahito Harada.
"I am ready to work closely with you and hold a constructive dialog in light of the agreements that were reached previously by our leaders, including at the May meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Sochi."
Russia, Japan to Build on Earlier Peace Treaty Talks
Russia and Japan will build on the previous two rounds of talks when they discuss the belated peace treaty this week, the head of the Russian delegation in Tokyo said Wednesday.
The two countries have been de facto at war after a spat over sovereignty of the Kuril Islands prevented them from signing a truce.
"These [previous] consultations have been very useful as they gave us a clear idea of our stances and allowed us to narrow the gap in the understanding of historical realities," Morgulov told Harada.
Japan Hopes for ‘Fruitful’ New Round of Peace Treaty Talks With Russia
Japan expects the fresh round of talks with Russia on the signing of an overdue post-WWII peace pact with Russia to be fruitful, the island nation’s representative Chikahito Harada said Wednesday.
"I expect today’s negotiations to be as fruitful as they were last time," Harada told his Russian counterpart Igor Morgulov.
Harada emphasize the importance of the meeting, which is the first since Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came together in the southern Russian city of Sochi last May.
"It was agreed at that meeting to work on a solution that would be acceptable for both sides…based on a new approach," Harada continued. "I want these talks to be constructive and positive."
Intensive Russia-Japan Dialog Reenergizes Bilateral Relations
Recent dynamics in the Russian-Japanese relations suggest that their intensive dialog has been a positive thing, the head of the Japanese delegation also said.
"Japanese-Russian relations have been marked by a positive dynamic thanks to an intensive political dialog."
