This is Why the Japanese PM Is 'Obsessed' With Resolution of Kuril Islands Issue

© AFP 2023 / YOSHIKAZU TSUNOJapanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivers a speech at the Lower House's plenary session following a North Korean nuclear test, at the National Diet in Tokyo on January 6, 2016.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivers a speech at the Lower House's plenary session following a North Korean nuclear test, at the National Diet in Tokyo on January 6, 2016. - Sputnik International
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On September 30, speaking in the lower house of Japan's parliament, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that he plans to carry on intensive negotiations with Russia on a wide range of economic issues and expressed hopes that both parties will be able to sign a peace treaty, addressing the issue of the return of four Kuril Islands to Japan.

In an interview with Sputnik, political expert Andrey Fesyun said that the resolution of the issue of Kuril Islands has become for Japanese PM Shinzo Abe "an obsession."

"He plans to leave his name in history, if not by completely resolving the territorial problem with Russia, then by at least, having made a major breakthrough in this regard," Fesyun told Sputnik.

Rocks off Shikotan Island, aka Spanberg or Sikotan, in the Kurils - Sputnik International
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According to Fesyun, if Japan fulfils at least some of its territorial aspirations, this will be considered Abe's diplomatic victory.

At the same time, the expert noted that Russia won't hardly benefit from such an agreement, because the development and improvement of bilateral relations — which Abe proclaimed as one of the main goals — are being hindered by the lack of mutual trust and mutual understanding between the countries, rather than the absence of a peace treaty, the expert stated.

"By developing our economy and adhering to the principle of equality with all countries, including Japan, we will achieve much more. In addition, public opinion in Russia would not support any territorial concessions to Japan. And I doubt that Putin — even taking into account his popularity — would go against public opinion," the expert stated.

In contrast to Andrey Fesyun, political expert Vladimir Portyakov is confident that a peace treaty would be a "win-win" situation for both parties.

"I think that any step forward is possible. I see this as a strong motivation for the two politicians. Both Putin and Abe need a major foreign policy success. And if they sign a peace treaty in one form or another, it would be a "win-win' situation for both parties," he said.

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Moscow and Tokyo have never signed a permanent peace treaty after World War II due to a disagreement over four islands, which Russia calls the Southern Kurils and Japan the Northern Territories. The islands, located in the Sea of Okhotsk, were claimed by Soviet forces at the end of the war.

Earlier, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was reported to have presented an offer to President Putin the Kuril Islands in exchange for investments into the infrastructure of Russia's Far East and Russian IT-technologies.

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