Kishida: Northern territories are Japan’s ‘inherent territory’

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a House of Councillors Budget Committee meeting on Monday. The Yomiuri Shimbun

TOKYO — The Japanese government is being pressed to change its policy toward Russia following that nation’s invasion of Ukraine, as negotiations on a peace treaty between Japan and Russia have stagnated and there is no prospect for further economic cooperation.

Asked about the Japanese government’s stance on the northern territories at a House of Councillors Budget Committee meeting on Monday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the northern territories are Japan’s “inherent territory and its sovereign territory. Both terms express Japan’s stance.”

Kishida also said, “I don’t recall making any distinction between the two phrases.”

Issues related to the northern territories are covered by the Japan-Russia peace treaty negotiations. The Foreign Ministry’s website and pamphlets state that the territories are “an inherent part of the territory of Japan.”

However, the Cabinet of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe refrained from using this term, seeking to avoid provoking Russia and to make progress in the peace treaty negotiations. In February 2019, the Abe Cabinet approved the government’s answer to a query about whether the northern territories were considered Japan’s inherent territory, saying, “[The government] would like to refrain from answering the question, as it could hinder future negotiations.”

“The expression ‘sovereign territory’ was often used in government answers during Diet debates,” an official close to the government said. Kishida shifted to the more direct “inherent territory” apparently because there is no longer a need to show such consideration to Russia.

The ruling and opposition parties have criticized the post of minister for economic cooperation with Russia, which was established in September 2016 and is concurrently held by the economy minister.

“It’s questionable to have a minister bearing the name of a particular country at this time,” said Seishiro Eto, chairperson of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s Research Commission on Foreign Affairs, at a party meeting in February.

Hideya Sugio of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan urged the government to abolish the post at an upper house Budget Committee meeting on March 2. Kishida replied only, “I want [the minister] to continue fulfilling his responsibility.”

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