Japan reacts with anger after Russia ends talks on WWII peace treaty

TOKYO • Japan yesterday reacted angrily after Russia withdrew from peace treaty talks with it and froze joint economic projects related to disputed islands because of Japanese sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Russia and Japan have not formally ended World War II hostilities because of their stand-off over islands, seized by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II, just off Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido.

The islands are known in Russia as the Kurils and in Japan as the Northern Territories.

Japan has imposed sanctions on 76 individuals, seven banks and 12 other bodies in Russia, most recently on Friday, and included defence officials and its state-owned arms exporter, Rosoboronexport.

Russia would not continue negotiations with Japan on a peace treaty "under current conditions", its foreign ministry said on Monday.

It cited Japan's "openly unfriendly positions and attempts to damage the interests of our country".

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he strongly opposed Russia's decision, calling it "unfair" and "completely unacceptable".

"This entire situation has been created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and Russia's response to push this onto Japan-Russia relations is extremely unfair and completely unacceptable," he said, adding that Japan's attitude towards seeking a peace treaty was unchanged and it had protested against the Russian decision.

"Japan must resolutely continue to sanction Russia in cooperation with the rest of the world," he said.

Asked about economic cooperation with Russia, Mr Kishida said Japan valued any opportunity to secure an inexpensive energy supply - a reference to energy projects in Sakhalin, after withdrawals by Shell and Exxon Mobil.

REUTERS