Japan and Russia Agree to Expand Relations; Urge North Korea to Avoid Tensions

Russia and Japan expressed hope on Monday to take steps toward resolving their long-standing territorial dispute while urging North Korea to refrain from 'provocative actions.' According to the Associated Press, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in Tokyo on March 30. Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu also met with his Japanese counterpart Tomomi Inada on the same day. These meetings were part of the '2+2' dialogue format. After the bilateral discussions, the four ministers held a joint meeting. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is scheduled to visit Russia in late April and again in September. The two countries expressed hope of finding a way to end their territorial disputes. Russia and Japan have not signed a formal peace treaty due to these disagreements since World War II. In recent weeks, tensions on the Korean Peninsula have also involved Russia and China. The United States deployed its first THAAD missile defense system equipment in South Korea on March 7, which provoked strong objections from China. If this system is fully deployed in South Korea, the U.S. will cover not only North Korea but also deep into Chinese territory with these missiles. Russia has also expressed concern about the deployment of these missiles near its eastern borders. Earlier this month, North Korea fired four missiles, three of which landed in Japanese territorial waters. Russia is also opposed to the deployment of the THAAD system in Japan. On Monday, the Russian Foreign Minister stated, 'The U.S. ballistic missile defense poses a deep threat to regional security.' He warned of disrupting the balance of power in the region, which could lead to another arms race and convince North Korea to enhance its military capabilities. Lavrov described the deployment of the THAAD missile system in the region as a 'completely disproportionate' response to North Korean threats and accused Washington of 'pumping weapons' into the region. The Russian Foreign Minister also called for measures to encourage North Korea to engage in dialogue. Fumio Kishida, the Japanese Foreign Minister, expressed hope that relations between Moscow and Tokyo would develop in various fields. Japan and Russia have held '2+2' talks since November 2013, but Japan suspended these talks after Russia's annexation of Crimea. The two countries have not signed a peace agreement due to their dispute over the Kuril Islands. In the final days of World War II, the Red Army entered the Kuril Islands, removing them from Japanese sovereignty. These islands, along with Sakhalin Island, were also disputed between the Russian and Japanese empires in the 19th century.