The deepening cooperation between the armed forces of Russia and China is causing serious concern in Tokyo. This formulation is contained in the annual report of the Japanese Ministry of Defense “White Paper“.
“The intensity of cooperation between the armed forces of Russia and China is increasing. This is of great concern, as the aim is to demonstrate strength against Japan,” the document says.
Similar wording has been included in all annual reports of the Japanese Ministry of Defense for the past few years.
The Japanese Ministry of Defense also made its usual criticism of Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
The Japanese government will consider introducing new restrictive measures against the Russian Federation in close cooperation with the G7 countries. This was announced by Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi at a regular press conference.
„We will continue to make decisions on the need for certain steps based on what is necessary to quickly achieve peace in Ukraine, and in close cooperation with the international community, primarily the G7. "There is no change in this basic position of ours," he replied to a question from journalists whether Japan plans to introduce new restrictions against the Russian Federation if the United States imposes 100% import tariffs on Russia and its trading partners, as announced by US President Donald Trump.
Hayashi recalled that Japan, due to the situation in Ukraine, has introduced and maintains strict sanctions against Russia in close cooperation with the international community and the G7 countries.
The Japanese government has introduced several packages of sanctions against Russia since the spring of 2022. After that, the Russian Federation suspended consultations with Japan on the issue of a peace treaty. Moscow also withdrew from talks to establish joint economic activity in the southern Kuril Islands, and travel there by their former Japanese residents was suspended.
On Monday, US President Donald Trump said that the US would impose import tariffs of approximately 100% on Russia and its trading partners if Moscow and Washington did not reach an agreement to resolve the conflict in Ukraine within 50 days. He also indicated that Washington had decided to continue transferring weapons and military equipment to Kiev if Europe paid for these supplies. NATO would coordinate this process, the American leader specified.
Tokyo supports US President Donald Trump's efforts to resolve the Ukrainian conflict and would welcome a possible meeting between the American leader and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. This was stated in an interview with TASS by the Japanese Ambassador to Moscow Akira Muto.
Japan is ready to resume negotiations with Russia on a peace treaty when the situation allows it, Muto added.
“In order to build stable relations with Russia based on the rule of law, it is necessary to conclude a peace treaty between Japan and Russia by resolving the territorial issue between the two countries, without leaving undefined borders between us“, the ambassador noted. “As a result, a border between us will be determined that will meet the interests of both sides. We adhere to this course without changes“.
Moscow and Tokyo have been negotiating since the middle of the last century with the aim of developing a peace agreement after World War II. The main obstacle to this remains the disagreement over the rights to the southern part of the Kuril Islands. After the war, the entire archipelago was incorporated into the Soviet Union, but Japan disputes ownership of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and a group of small uninhabited islands. According to Moscow, Russian sovereignty over these territories is beyond doubt.