TOKYO: The top leaders of Japan and Russia on Tuesday reconfirmed the policy of prioritizing the return of two of the four disputed Russian-held islands to Japan to settle their countries’ territorial row.

In their telephone talks, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed a 2018 agreement to accelerate negotiations to strike a World War II peace treaty on the basis of the 1956 Japan-Soviet joint declaration, which stipulates the handover of the Habomai group of islets and Shikotan, two of the four islands, to Japan.

Suga and Putin also shared the target of holding talks in person soon. Their conversation, which lasted nearly 20 minutes, took place at the request of Tokyo.

With the 2018 agreement, struck between then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Putin, Japan effectively switched to placing priority on the return of the Habomais and Shikotan among the Japanese-claimed northwestern Pacific islands, seized by Soviet troops in the closing days of the war.

But little progress has been made so far over the four islands, called the Northern Territories in Japan.

During the talks, Suga expressed his eagerness to “develop the entire Japan-Russia relations, including through the conclusion of the peace treaty.”

“I want to put a period to the Northern Territories issue without carrying it over to the next generation,” Suga said, adding he will stick to Abe’s policy of deepening bilateral ties in various areas, including economy.

Putin replied that he highly evaluates his relationship with Abe and is ready to cooperate also with Suga constructively. Putin pledged to continue dialogue on various bilateral issues.

Putin congratulated Suga on his inauguration as prime minister. Suga took office Sept 16, succeeding Abe.

“I want to negotiate patiently under the basic policy of resolving the territorial issue and concluding the peace treaty,” Suga told reporters after the phone talks.

He also said, “I’ve got a feeling that I’ll be able to exchange views with the president frankly from now on.”

 Just before the phone talks, Russia began a military exercise in areas including the Northern Territories.

While the Japanese government protested, Suga did not mention the exercise during his talks with Putin.

Meanwhile, Suga asked Putin to cooperate so that former residents of the Northern Territories can visit graves of their relatives there by air.

Putin said Russia is prepared to resume such visits once the novel coronavirus pandemic is brought under control.

The previous time the two countries’ top leaders held phone talks was August.

JIJI Press