Kishida Resolved to Ink Peace Pact with Russia

Jiji Press

17:24 JST, February 8, 2024

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday underlined a determination to conclude a peace treaty with Russia after resolving a territorial row over the norther territories.

“Although Japan-Russia relations are in a difficult situation due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we will stick to our policy of resolving the territorial issue and concluding a peace treaty,” Kishida said at a government-sponsored rally in Tokyo campaigning for the return of the islands to Japan, which took place on Northern Territories Day.

The northern territories refer to the disputed Russian-held islands, seized by Soviet troops in the closing days of World War II.

Given the aging of former Japanese residents of the islands, Kishida said his government will put a special focus on a resumption of a program to allow them to visit family graves on the islands.

“We have confirmed that the framework for visiting graves in the northern territories has been maintained,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a news conference.