According to Singapore-based Channel News Asia, Russia announced today that it will not hold annual talks to renew an agreement allowing Japanese fishermen to operate near the Kuril Islands, whose ownership is disputed between Russia and Japan.
“In the context of the anti-Russian measures taken by the Japanese government ... the Russian side informed Tokyo that it could not agree on the holding of intergovernmental consultations on the implementation of this agreement,” reported Russia’s RIA news agency.
“Russia in June suspended the 1998 agreement that allowed Japanese boats to fish near the islands and Japan’s chief cabinet secretary on Monday [Jan. 23] told a news conference that Japan would demand that Russia engages in the annual talks so this year’s fishing operations could begin,” reports Channel News Asia.
“To return to a normal dialogue, the Japanese neighbors should show elementary respect for our country, a desire to improve bilateral relations,” responded the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The sovereignty of the islands remains a major dispute between the two nations, and one of the factors preventing their signing a peace treaty to officially end World War II.