Russian-Japanese Relations: Long-Term Development Factors

The article analyzes long-term external and internal factors determining the course of development of Russian-Japanese relations in 2019-2020. On the one hand, the anti-Russian component in Tokyo's foreign policy is shaped by its membership in the Security Treaty with the United States and its...

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Main Author: D. V. Streltsov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MGIMO University Press 2020-07-01
Series:Vestnik MGIMO-Universiteta
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.vestnik.mgimo.ru/jour/article/view/1622
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author D. V. Streltsov
author_facet D. V. Streltsov
author_sort D. V. Streltsov
collection DOAJ
description The article analyzes long-term external and internal factors determining the course of development of Russian-Japanese relations in 2019-2020. On the one hand, the anti-Russian component in Tokyo's foreign policy is shaped by its membership in the Security Treaty with the United States and its solidarity with the sanctions policy of the Group of Seven towards Russia. On the other hand, Japan and Russia are both interested interest in political cooperation in creating multilateral dialog mechanisms of international security in East Asia, resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, and easing tensions around territorial disputes in the East China and South China seas. Among the economic factors, the author focuses on the significant place of Russia in the context of Japan's task of diversifying sources of external energy supplies, as well as on Russia's desire to avoid unilateral dependence on the Chinese market while reorienting the system of foreign economic relations from the West to the East. Personal diplomacy of political leaders plays a significant role in relations between Russia and Japan, and, above all, close personal relationships and frequent meetings between Prime Minister Abe and President Putin, which make it possible to partially compensate the unfavorable image of the partner country in the public opinion of both Russia and Japan. Against the background of a deadlock in the Peace Treaty talks which emerged in 2019, the search for a way out of the diplomatic impasse is on the agenda. In the author's opinion, it would be appropriate at the first stage to proceed to the conclusion of a basic agreement on the basis bilateral relations, which would be "untied" from the Peace Treaty. In addition, Russia could stop criticizing Japan for its security policy and show greater understanding of the Japanese initiative in the field of quality infrastructure. In turn, Japan could take a number of strategic decisions on cooperation with Russia and announce them in the Prime Minister's keynote speech. In addition, Tokyo could stop positioning the issue of the peace Treaty as the main issue in relations with Russia, which would allow our countries to "untie" bilateral relations from the problem of border demarcation and focus on their positive agenda.
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spelling doaj-art-54bf69b839924707b7b50ad2d55ae0bf2025-01-30T12:15:54ZengMGIMO University PressVestnik MGIMO-Universiteta2071-81602541-90992020-07-01133688510.24833/2071-8160-2020-3-72-68-851283Russian-Japanese Relations: Long-Term Development FactorsD. V. Streltsov0Moscow State Institute of International Relations (university)The article analyzes long-term external and internal factors determining the course of development of Russian-Japanese relations in 2019-2020. On the one hand, the anti-Russian component in Tokyo's foreign policy is shaped by its membership in the Security Treaty with the United States and its solidarity with the sanctions policy of the Group of Seven towards Russia. On the other hand, Japan and Russia are both interested interest in political cooperation in creating multilateral dialog mechanisms of international security in East Asia, resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, and easing tensions around territorial disputes in the East China and South China seas. Among the economic factors, the author focuses on the significant place of Russia in the context of Japan's task of diversifying sources of external energy supplies, as well as on Russia's desire to avoid unilateral dependence on the Chinese market while reorienting the system of foreign economic relations from the West to the East. Personal diplomacy of political leaders plays a significant role in relations between Russia and Japan, and, above all, close personal relationships and frequent meetings between Prime Minister Abe and President Putin, which make it possible to partially compensate the unfavorable image of the partner country in the public opinion of both Russia and Japan. Against the background of a deadlock in the Peace Treaty talks which emerged in 2019, the search for a way out of the diplomatic impasse is on the agenda. In the author's opinion, it would be appropriate at the first stage to proceed to the conclusion of a basic agreement on the basis bilateral relations, which would be "untied" from the Peace Treaty. In addition, Russia could stop criticizing Japan for its security policy and show greater understanding of the Japanese initiative in the field of quality infrastructure. In turn, Japan could take a number of strategic decisions on cooperation with Russia and announce them in the Prime Minister's keynote speech. In addition, Tokyo could stop positioning the issue of the peace Treaty as the main issue in relations with Russia, which would allow our countries to "untie" bilateral relations from the problem of border demarcation and focus on their positive agenda.https://www.vestnik.mgimo.ru/jour/article/view/1622russian-japanese relationssecurity treatythe us military presencethe rise of chinapersonal diplomacythe image of the countrypeace treatythe concept of ‘free and open indo-pacific region"results of world war ii
spellingShingle D. V. Streltsov
Russian-Japanese Relations: Long-Term Development Factors
Vestnik MGIMO-Universiteta
russian-japanese relations
security treaty
the us military presence
the rise of china
personal diplomacy
the image of the country
peace treaty
the concept of ‘free and open indo-pacific region"
results of world war ii
title Russian-Japanese Relations: Long-Term Development Factors
title_full Russian-Japanese Relations: Long-Term Development Factors
title_fullStr Russian-Japanese Relations: Long-Term Development Factors
title_full_unstemmed Russian-Japanese Relations: Long-Term Development Factors
title_short Russian-Japanese Relations: Long-Term Development Factors
title_sort russian japanese relations long term development factors
topic russian-japanese relations
security treaty
the us military presence
the rise of china
personal diplomacy
the image of the country
peace treaty
the concept of ‘free and open indo-pacific region"
results of world war ii
url https://www.vestnik.mgimo.ru/jour/article/view/1622
work_keys_str_mv AT dvstreltsov russianjapaneserelationslongtermdevelopmentfactors