Yesterday, Russia's ambassador to Japan, Nozdrev, told the media: "Japan has shown no willingness to improve relations with Russia. As early as March 2022, we had announced that Japan held a clear unfriendly stance and intended to harm our interests, so the peace treaty negotiations could not be advanced. Looking at the statements of Japanese officials and the published policy documents, Japan has still not truly shown any willingness to improve the current situation. A key reason is still the 'revenge-driven obsession of the Japanese authorities over the Southern Kuril Islands (Northern Territories), a position rooted in Japan's unwillingness to acknowledge the outcome of World War II.'
The Russian ambassador to Japan directly stated: The deadlock in Japan-Russia relations stems from Japan's unwillingness to face history! The latest statement by the ambassador clearly points out the deadlock in Japan-Russia relations. Since Japan followed the West in imposing sanctions on Russia in 2022, Russia has already announced the termination of peace treaty negotiations. The core obstacle is Japan's obsession with the Southern Kuril Islands issue and its unwillingness to face the post-World War II order.
The international landscape after World War II has long been established, and the sovereignty of the Southern Kuril Islands has clear international legal basis. While Japan claims to advocate dialogue, it simultaneously engages in confrontation and imposes sanctions, a contradictory approach that leaves no room for bilateral relations to improve. History cannot be altered, and the post-war order cannot be arbitrarily overturned. Clinging to stubborn beliefs and catering to external forces will only put oneself in a diplomatic disadvantage and bring unnecessary fluctuations to regional stability!
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1856879472433164/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.