Home > News > The Prime Minister in Action > December 2017 > Courtesy Call from the Liaison Council of Municipalities in Nemuro Subprefecture for the Development of Regions near the Northern Territories
The Prime Minister in Action
Courtesy Call from the Liaison Council of Municipalities in Nemuro Subprefecture for the Development of Regions near the Northern Territories
December 1, 2017
Photograph of the Prime Minister receiving the courtesy call (1)
Photograph of the Prime Minister receiving the courtesy call (2)
Photograph of the Prime Minister delivering an address
On December 1, 2017, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received a courtesy call from the Liaison Council of Municipalities in Nemuro Subprefecture for the Development of Regions near the Northern Territories at the Prime Minister's Office.
The Prime Minister said in his address,
“Thank you for coming to the Prime Minister’s Office today. I would like to express my respect and gratitude to each of you for your daily hard work as part of the national movement for the return of the Northern Territories.
It can be said that it is an unusual situation that even over 70 years after the end of World War II, the Northern Territories issue has not yet been resolved, and Japan and Russia have not yet concluded a peace treaty. President Putin and I have shared this recognition.
Last year I held a Japan-Russia Summit Meeting in Nagato, and as one of the outcomes of that meeting, the grave visits by former residents of the Northern Territories by airplane were conducted recently for the first time in accordance with the agreement in Nagato between President Putin and myself. I want to continue to exert efforts toward giving former residents more freedom in making grave visits. As the former residents are aging, we must make it possible for them to make grave visits in a way that is less burdensome. I believe that President Putin also very much understands that point.
In addition, there have been two consecutive local surveys toward joint economic activities on the four islands of the Northern Territories. Since there has unfortunately been hardly any progress on negotiations related to the Northern Territories or negotiations on the peace treaty in over 70 years, we decided to take an approach from a different perspective at the meeting in Nagato last year. I hope to resolve this issue by deepening Russian’s understanding of Japan and the benefits it will gain by working with Japan through the joint economic activities and other cooperation.
I ask for your continued cooperation, hard work, and understanding. Over 70 years have now passed. Having more Japanese people understand this issue will create momentum to resolve it, so I would like to close my address by requesting your continued cooperation on this matter. Thank you very much for your time today.”
The Prime Minister said in his address,
“Thank you for coming to the Prime Minister’s Office today. I would like to express my respect and gratitude to each of you for your daily hard work as part of the national movement for the return of the Northern Territories.
It can be said that it is an unusual situation that even over 70 years after the end of World War II, the Northern Territories issue has not yet been resolved, and Japan and Russia have not yet concluded a peace treaty. President Putin and I have shared this recognition.
Last year I held a Japan-Russia Summit Meeting in Nagato, and as one of the outcomes of that meeting, the grave visits by former residents of the Northern Territories by airplane were conducted recently for the first time in accordance with the agreement in Nagato between President Putin and myself. I want to continue to exert efforts toward giving former residents more freedom in making grave visits. As the former residents are aging, we must make it possible for them to make grave visits in a way that is less burdensome. I believe that President Putin also very much understands that point.
In addition, there have been two consecutive local surveys toward joint economic activities on the four islands of the Northern Territories. Since there has unfortunately been hardly any progress on negotiations related to the Northern Territories or negotiations on the peace treaty in over 70 years, we decided to take an approach from a different perspective at the meeting in Nagato last year. I hope to resolve this issue by deepening Russian’s understanding of Japan and the benefits it will gain by working with Japan through the joint economic activities and other cooperation.
I ask for your continued cooperation, hard work, and understanding. Over 70 years have now passed. Having more Japanese people understand this issue will create momentum to resolve it, so I would like to close my address by requesting your continued cooperation on this matter. Thank you very much for your time today.”
