Japan reaffirms goal to resolve Northern Territories dispute on 70th anniversary of Joint Declaration

Marking the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration, Japanese officials have reaffirmed their commitment to resolving the Northern Territories dispute through continued communication with Russia.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Kihara stated that despite the difficult situation following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Japan must maintain necessary dialogue with its neighbor to address various bilateral issues. He emphasized that Japan's policy remains unchanged: to resolve the issue of the sovereignty of the four Northern Territories islands and conclude a peace treaty with Russia.

The 1956 declaration restored diplomatic relations and stipulated that the Soviet Union would hand over the Habomai Islands and Shikotan to Japan upon the conclusion of a peace treaty. However, negotiations have stalled significantly. Following Japan's economic sanctions against Russia, Moscow unilaterally declared a halt to peace treaty negotiations in 2022. Recent developments, including Russian constitutional amendments prohibiting the cession of territory and increased Russian presence in the islands, have further complicated the diplomatic landscape.