Japan Skips Putin's Inauguration Ceremony

Tokyo, May 7 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government sent no representative to a ceremony in Moscow on Tuesday to swear in Vladimir Putin for a new six-year term as Russian president due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Tokyo's move signals further deterioration of ties with Moscow, making it unlikely for the two sides to resume talks anytime soon on resolving a territorial dispute over four northwestern Pacific islands controlled by Russia and claimed by Japan and concluding a peace treaty to formally end wartime hostilities.

The Japanese Embassy in Russia had received an invitation to the ceremony at the last minute, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a news conference. The previous inauguration ceremony for Putin, in 2018, was attended by then Japanese Ambassador to Russia Toyohisa Kozuki.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Japan has joined other members of the Group of Seven major democracies in condemning Moscow and calling for sanctions on Russia to be kept in place.

In March 2022, Moscow said that it was suspending peace treaty talks with Tokyo due to the Japanese sanctions. In February this year, Russia said it is impossible to resume the talks.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]