Russia, Japan to restart peace talks in October

The talks will be held in Moscow on October 8.

Russia and Japan agreed to resume peace talks after a gap of one and a half years.  The countries are technically still in a state of war, as they never signed a World War 2 peace treaty.

The talks will be held on October 8 in Moscow between Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama and his Russian counterpart, Igor Morgulov.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on September 22 in Moscow.

 Kishida said the countries should “create a mutually acceptable solution to the territorial issue” of the Southern Kuril Islands, which Japan calls the Northern Territories.

“We had in-depth discussions about the territorial issue,” Kishida was cited by AFP as saying at a joint news conference after meeting Lavrov. “Minister Lavrov and I were able to share a view that our countries should find ways for a mutually acceptable solution.”

“Neither the ‘Northern Territories’ of Japan nor the ‘Northern Territories’ of Russia are the subject of our dialogue. On our agenda is reaching the peace deal,” Lavrov said, according to AFP. “Moving forward on this issue is possible only after we see clearly Japan’s recognition of historic realities. The work is difficult and the difference in positions is vast.”

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