Envoy Seeks to Realize Japan Fishing near Russian-Held Isles

Tokyo, Jan. 31 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Ambassador to Russia Toyohisa Kozuki has requested the early realization of Japanese fishing operations in waters near four northwestern Pacific islands at the center of a longstanding territorial dispute with Russia, based on an intergovernmental accord, according to the Japanese Embassy in Moscow.

Kozuki made the request when he held talks with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko on Monday. The two also exchanged views on their countries' ties and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to the embassy.

Meanwhile, Russian government officials said Rudenko strongly asked the Japanese side during the talks to take a realistic approach and refrain from implementing measures against Russia that would deteriorate bilateral ties further.

On Sunday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that it has notified the Japanese side of its refusal to hold intergovernmental discussions on Japanese fishing operations for Alaska pollock and others near the Russian-held islands claimed by Tokyo due to Japan's anti-Russia measures.

In June last year, Moscow unilaterally announced a suspension of the Japan-Russia agreement on Japanese fishing operations around the disputed islands, which came into effect in 1998, in an apparent retaliation for Japanese sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]