Putin-Abe meeting made it possible to outline a "roadmap" for cooperation, having translated into practical action much of what previously existed only as general intentions. Both sides focused on promoting economic ties. In particular, about 30 documents concerning cooperation projects between the governments, regional administrations and private corporations of the two countries were signed at the end of the meeting.
On April 27, President Vladimir Putin met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. It was their 17th meeting since 2012, when the Japanese prime minister took office again after five years out of power. The outcome of the visit is indicative of the prevailing positive dynamics in cooperation between the two countries. Putin referred to Japan as a “good neighbor” and a “promising partner,” and noted that the leaders of the two countries agreed to continue to intensify bilateral relations.
During the meeting, the two leaders discussed current issues of the international political situation, including the need for a settlement on the Korean Peninsula and joint economic activities on the Southern Kurils. The parties have similar or identical views regarding the current situation on the Korean Peninsula. The leaders of the two countries spoke in favor of strict implementation of the UN Security Council resolution. However, while Japan considers it necessary for the international community to increase pressure on Pyongyang by tightening sanctions, Russia has adopted a more moderate stance, believing that power diplomacy should be combined with attempts to establish a constructive dialogue with Pyongyang.
Both sides focused on promoting economic ties. In particular, about 30 documents concerning cooperation projects between the governments, regional administrations and private corporations of the two countries were signed at the end of the meeting. The range of interaction is fairly extensive, from the construction of a joint Russian-Japanese medical center in Khabarovsk and the implementation of the Smart City concept in Voronezh, to the development of gas fields in the Irkutsk Region. In fact, the meeting made it possible to outline a "roadmap" for cooperation, having translated into practical action much of what previously existed only as general intentions.
The discussion focused in particular on joint economic activities in the southern Kurils Islands. The cooperation projects include areas such as fishing in contiguous water areas, aquaculture (scallop and sea urchin), and ecotourism. A large delegation of business people and officials of the two countries will go to the Southern Kurils to study the proposed projects’ feasibility in May.
Japan's position is that joint economic activities will improve its image among residents of the Southern Kurils and reinforce its economic presence on the islands, which, in turn, will improve Japan's position in its territorial dispute with Russia. The economic return on the joint projects will be less important than the political significance of their mere existence. Many in Japan doubt whether joint activities stand a chance of being successful without strong political support from the center.
In turn, Russia, while agreeing that such activities will help create a favorable atmosphere for signing a peace treaty, does not in any way connect them with progress in resolving the border issue. The Russian president didn’t bring up the matter at the press conference, noting only that we are ready “to jointly address even the most complicated bilateral issues based on the principles of mutual respect, equality, and consideration of each other's interests.” The most important thing for Russia is to use the opportunities that become available through cooperation with Japan for the economic development of the Southern Kurils, which are one of Russia’s economically depressed areas.
At the same time, Russia itself does a lot to promote the economic integration of the Kuril Islands with the mainland and to improve the quality of life of their residents. For example, a decision was made recently to install fiber-optic cables between the Southern Kurils and Sakhalin with assistance provided by the Chinese concern Huawei. The “law on the Far Eastern hectare” includes the Kuril Islands territory. For obvious reasons, this policy irritates Tokyo. Japan is particularly sensitive to businesses from third countries coming to these islands.
The primacy of Russian law on the Southern Kurils is one of the reasons for the disagreements. During Vladimir Putin’s visit to Japan in December, the parties agreed that economic activities should not undermine the fundamental positions of the parties on the Kuril Islands issue. Meanwhile, Russia considers it indisputable that such activities will be carried out entirely under Russian laws. However, Japan hopes that a “special system” will be created which will allow Japanese companies operating on the islands to avoid being subject to Russian law. However, the likelihood of such a system ever becoming a reality is seriously doubted by many experts. Particularly important is the issue of residence for tax purposes, which hasn’t been sorted so far.
Another issue that was raised during the visit was former residents of the islands visiting their ancestors’ graves on the Kuril Islands. The humanitarian aspect of this issue has special significance for Japan: for Abe, any progress on this matter boosts his approval ratings and, accordingly, improves his political position at home. The meeting participants decided to organize charter flights on Russian airlines, which will undoubtedly be appreciated in Japan, as previously such trips were made solely by sea and were very dependent on weather conditions and were, therefore, erratic. In addition, it was decided to create additional checkpoints for the Japanese guests’ convenience.
The leaders of the two countries have once again demonstrated a desire to build on their friendly personal relationship. As before, they were on a first name basis, and 50 minutes out of the three hours of the summit were devoted to a one-on-one meeting, during which the Japanese prime minister and the Russian president were only in the company of translators. During the final press conference, both sides placed emphasis on common stances and shared approaches, while the divisive moments, including the border issue and the Korea issue, were played down. By the way, some Japanese media criticized Abe for excessive “softness” on this matter. For example, according to Sankei daily, Abe's conscious refusal to actively criticize Russia’s position on the Korea issue sends “the wrong message.” Nonetheless, we can assume that the meeting was the high point of the emerging trend towards warmer Russian-Japanese relations, which are increasingly becoming an independent factor in international politics.
