Ending a 60-Year Stalemate: Japan's Push to Get a Peace Treaty with Russia

Tom Holcombe

Security, Asia

Putin and Abe have revived relations between their two countries.

It's been more than seventy years since World War II ended but there is still no peace treaty between Japan and Russia. Is this about to change?

This year marks the sixtieth anniversary of the 1956 Joint Declaration by Japan and the then Soviet Union, in which the two agreed to continue treaty negotiations. This post-World War II relationship has been difficult, marred by Cold War tensions and an intractable territorial dispute. Now, however, the political leadership in both nations but most noticeably in Japan appear to have calculated the possible benefits merit working harder to reach agreement.

Despite a recent setback in the form of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and Japan's participation in the resulting sanctions, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has personally sought to breathe new life into the peace treaty negotiations. In January this year Abe took the unusual step of establishing the position of “Ambassador for Japan-Russia Relations” to oversee high-level bilateral consultations. In announcing the appointment of the former Japanese Ambassador to Russia, Chikahito Harada, to this position, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said working on the bilateral relationship “is a diplomatic task of the highest priority.”

Conversations between Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin have led to increased interactions. A third round of talks at the deputy foreign ministerial level took place last week. Foreign ministerial talks are scheduled to take place in Japan in April. Abe still plans to go to Russia in May for an unofficial visit with Putin, even though U.S. President Barack Obama has asked the visit be postponed. Abe has also invited Putin to visit Japan later this year, and Putin has agreed.

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