Japan declares readiness to continue 'necessary communication' with Russia amid strained bilateral relations
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Tokyo will continue necessary communication with Moscow and work toward overcoming the deadlock in relations. The statement was made on the 70th anniversary of the 1956 joint declaration. Bilateral relations deteriorated after Russia launched its war with Ukraine in February 2022 and Japan imposed sanctions. The key obstacle remains the territorial dispute over the islands near Hokkaido, which has prevented the countries from signing a peace treaty since the end of World War II.
Aziz Karimov