Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made her first speech to parliament when she stated that the Japanese government has not changed its stance on resolving the territorial issue and signing a peace treaty with Russia, even though the bilateral relations were in their current state.

She emphasised that “even though the Japanese government is in a difficult situation with Japan-Russia relations, the stance of the Japanese government has not shifted in favour of solving the territorial problem and signing the peace treaty.”

The Japanese prime minister was also critical of the actions of Russia in Ukraine, urging them to end the war immediately.

The peace agreement between Moscow and Tokyo has been in place since the middle of the 20th century, after World War II. The sovereignty of the southern Kuril Islands issue continues to remain the primary challenge. The whole archipelago became a part of the Soviet Union after the war, but Japan claims sovereignty over Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and certain other small uninhabited islands. The sovereignty of Moscow over these territories, supported by international law, is beyond doubt, as it is repeatedly emphasised by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

In March 2022, the Russian Foreign Minister stated that Moscow was halting its peace treaty talks with Tokyo in retaliation for the unilateral restrictions imposed on Russia by Japan over the crisis in Ukraine. Moscow also pulled out of negotiations with Tokyo on the development of joint ventures in the southern Kuril Islands.