A Japanese government delegation has arrived in Moscow for talks. What you need to know

A government delegation from Japan has arrived in Moscow for economic negotiations. The visit takes place against the background of rather tense relations between the two countries, but in recent months they have expanded cooperation in the energy sector due to disruptions in oil and gas supplies from the Persian Gulf countries. What characterizes the current relations between Russia and Japan and what prospects they have — in the material of Izvestia.

Japanese delegation in Moscow

• An official delegation of the Japanese government has arrived in Moscow to conduct economic negotiations. It includes Katsuyoshi Arai, Head of the Bureau of Trade Policy at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, and Makoto Ishikawa, Adviser to the Bureau of European Affairs at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The country's Economy Minister, Ryosei Akazawa, said that the purpose of the visit was "to exchange views in terms of protecting the assets of Japanese companies operating in Russia."

• In early May, it was reported that the Japanese delegation would also include representatives of large corporations such as Mitsui and Mitsubishi, which conduct business in a variety of areas. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said at the time that the visit was indeed planned, but it would not focus on cooperation in the economic and energy sectors.

• The visit of the Japanese delegation is taking place at the governmental level. At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the agency had not offered to hold such a meeting and had not received any relevant requests from Tokyo. Moscow explained that if the Japanese government wants to ensure the interests of its companies in Russia, then first it is necessary to recreate a political atmosphere that will facilitate business.

Current relationship status

• The key factor determining the level of current relations between Russia and Japan is Tokyo's sanctions pressure. After the outbreak of the conflict in Donbas, Japan joined the Western sanctions imposed by the Group of Seven. Tokyo froze assets and blocked transactions of individuals and legal entities from Russia, imposed a ban on the export of high technologies and certain industrial goods, and also refused most Russian imports, making an exception only for oil and gas produced at the Sakhalin-2 project. Japan does not conduct high-level negotiations with Russia and participates in the fight against circumvention of sanctions imposed by other countries. The restrictions resulted in a drop in trade turnover between the two countries from $20.8 billion in 2021 to $7.6 billion in 2025.

• For Tokyo, the annoying factor is Moscow's Far Eastern policy, which is to establish friendly relations with China and the DPRK. Japan considers them as its main regional rivals. After Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi came to power, there was a crisis in relations between Japan and China, which created additional tension in the region. Tokyo's foreign policy course is highly dependent on Washington, for which Beijing and Pyongyang also act as irritants.

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• Although not so fundamental, the territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands remains important. Japan continues to dispute the ownership of the Southern Kuril Islands, despite the sovereignty of the Russian Federation established in this territory. This dispute does not lead to "hot" consequences, but it remains an obstacle to signing a peace treaty that would formally end World War II. Japan wants to at least resume visa-free travel for its citizens to the islands, but Moscow canceled such a relaxation in response to the sanctions imposed since 2022.

• However, the events of recent months may change the current state of the relationship. The US war with Iran is causing irritation in Japan, as it undermines the economic security of this energy-poor country. Before the conflict, Tokyo received up to 70% of its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, which is now blocked. Dependence on foreign supplies has led Japan to import oil from Russia for the first time in a long time, as well as increased supplies of liquefied natural gas. Cooperation in the energy sector can be the first step towards warming relations. However, their further development will depend entirely on how Japan is ready to pursue a course independent of the United States and the G7, and there are no such signs yet.