Home > News > The Prime Minister in Action > October 2016 > Request to the Government on the Return of the Northern Territories
The Prime Minister in Action
Request to the Government on the Return of the Northern Territories
October 31, 2016
Photograph of the Prime Minister receiving the request
Photograph of the Prime Minister delivering an address
Photograph of the Prime Minister listening to the request
[Provisional Translation]
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received a request to the Government on the return of the Northern Territories at the Prime Minister's Office.
The Prime Minister received the letter of request from Ms. Harumi Takahashi, Governor of Hokkaido.
Based on the receipt of the letter, the Prime Minister said in his address,
“I would like to once again express my respect for the efforts of everyone standing on the frontlines of the national movement for the return of the Northern Territories and working to address this issue on a daily basis.
The Northern Territories are inherent territories of Japan. It is truly regrettable that, 70 years after the end of World War II, the Northern Territories issue has yet to be resolved, and a peace treaty has not been signed between Japan and Russia. With the former islanders continuing to grow older, I strongly believe that we need to resolve this issue at the earliest possible date.
I have already held 14 summit meetings with President Putin. Through that process, we have built a relationship of trust on a personal level. In May of this year, during a Summit Meeting in Sochi, we shared the view that the two of us will not limit ourselves to the ideas that have been put forward up until now, and that we shall make intensive efforts to advance negotiations through new approaches.
In addition, on September 2, I met with President Putin in Vladivostok, and I invited him to visit Yamaguchi Prefecture in December of this year.
In accordance with the Government’s basic policy of 'resolving the issue of the attribution of the Four Northern Islands and concluding a peace treaty with Russia,' I will continue negotiations in my role as the Prime Minister of Japan with a strong will so as to make progress towards the final settlement of the territorial issue.
The Northern Territories issue is a matter for the public as a whole, and in order to push negotiations forward, it is necessary that the Government and the people of Japan unite their efforts. I will take your feelings firmly to heart as I work on negotiations related to the Northern Territories issue. I request your continued support.”
