Japan and Russia seek better relations

(Vatican Radio) The Japanese and Russian leaders are promising to try to draft a peace treaty dating back to World War II. As Alastair Wanklyn reports from Tokyo, an agreement has always snagged over disputed islands, but the two sides now see a range of benefits in normalising ties...

Listen:


Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived in Moscow saying better bilateral ties would boost peace and prosperity in Asia.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin said talks would focus on concluding a World War II peace treaty between Russia and Japan.

Until now, the two sides have never resolved the status of a group of islands held by Russia but claimed by Japan.

In the closing days of World War II, the Soviet Union seized three islands and a groups of islets from Japan, and to this day, publicly, Moscow has only offered to return the smaller of what it calls its Southern Kurile islands.

Analysts say Japan now may be prepared for compromise, because, they say, Japan sees Russia as a potential ally in Asia to help counter a newly influential China.

Japan also wants greater access to cheap Russian natural gas, at a time when it is importing more gas than it budgeted for because most of its nuclear power plants remain shut down.

And Russia wants Japanese investment, particularly to gain the ability to manufacture high-tech goods.