The meeting between Vladimir Putin and Shinzo Abe took place on January 22, 2019. On the agenda was a discussion of the nationality of the Kuril Islands. The politicians could not find a compromise, but made a new meeting to continue the negotiations.
Why the question arose about the Kuriles
The Kuril Islands became part of the USSR following World War II. Russia's sovereignty over these territories is beyond question. But there is also another point of view. The Japanese claim the islands of Kunashir, Shikotan, Iturup and Habomai and refer to a bilateral treatise dated 1855. In 1855, at the height of the Crimean War, the Shimoda Treaty was concluded between Russia and Japan. According to this document, Kunashir, Shikotan, Iturup and Habomai belonged to Japan, while Sakhalin remained in common possession. Several decades later, the Japanese authorities abandoned Sakhalin, receiving in return all the Kuril Islands.
For Tokyo, the issue of ownership of the South Kuril Islands is a matter of prestige. The Japanese authorities believe that after the end of World War II, all the necessary formalities for the transfer of land were not observed and on this basis the agreement concluded can be considered controversial.
The unformed, unrecognized border between the countries does not contribute to the development of bilateral cooperation. Strengthening relationships could be a powerful boost to economic development in some industries.
Meeting of Vladimir Putin and Shinzo Abe
The talks about the need to start negotiations on the Kuril Islands have been going on for a long time. At the end of 2018, the Japanese side initiated a meeting and it took place on January 22, 2019. Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin took part in the conversation.
Negotiations with Japan lasted about 3 hours. But at the press conference held after the meeting, there were no sensations. Putin said that his main task is to ensure the long-term and comprehensive development of Russian-Japanese relations at a qualitative level. And some steps on this path have already been taken. During the negotiations, the Russian leader persuaded the Japanese prime minister to sign some peace agreements and conclude agreements on cooperation. Only after this is it possible to talk about the Kuril Islands. For Shinzo Abe, the issue of transferring the Kuril Islands is still of paramount importance.
Will the parties be able to agree
Negotiations on the Kuril Islands are not over, but most political analysts believe that no compromise will be found in this case. It will not be possible to come to a solution that suits both sides, since the expectations from the negotiations are too different.
Putin announced the possibility of changing state borders only if approved by the Russian population. But according to the polls conducted, Russians are extremely negative about this outcome of events. Small pickets were even held in several cities. For the majority of citizens, the very fact of negotiations raises many questions for the authorities. They believe that the position of the Russian president should be tough and firm, and some perceive the negotiations as a betrayal.
The Japanese leaders also have their own position and believe that they have already made a compromise, abandoning claims to the two islands and claiming only Shikotan and Habomai.
A new meeting will take place in February 2019. It will be attended by the foreign ministers of both countries. But political scientists are confident that no decision will be made. This will require more than one year of negotiations and there is no guarantee that a compromise will be found.
