Japan Sees No Change in Russia Foreign Policy Under Medvedev

Tokyo, March 3 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government expects basically no change in Russia’s foreign policy toward Japan after President Vladimir Putin’s handpicked successor Dmitry Medvedev takes the helm of the country in May.

First Deputy Prime Minister Medvedev, nominated by Putin as his successor last December, scored a landslide victory in Sunday’s presidential election. Medvedev will be inaugurated on May 7.

A senior official at Japan’s Foreign Ministry said that Russia’s foreign policy, including its policy toward Japan, will not change because there will be an orderly succession of power in Russia.

No immediate breakthrough is therefore expected under Medvedev’s regime regarding a decades-old territorial dispute between Japan and Russia over four Russian-held northwestern, experts say.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura told a news conference Monday that Medvedev is expected to continue Putin’s foreign policy.

Noting that there has been little progress on the bilateral island dispute under Putin, Machimura said Japan hopes that the incoming president will make efforts to work out a solution to the island row and enhance relations between Japan and Russia.

The islands, located off Japan’s northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, were seized by troops of the former Soviet Union in the closing days of World War II. The dispute has prevented Japan and Russia from concluding a peace treaty to formally end their wartime hostilities.

Meanwhile, Medvedev is seen to put emphasis on fortifying economic relations with Japan, inheriting Putin’s policy designed to boost Russia’s influence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Japan intends to continue cooperating with Russia under Medvedev in projects to develop natural resources and build railway networks in Russia’s East Siberia and Far East, government officials said.

After leaving office, Putin is expected to become prime minister and retain considerable power and influence in Russia.

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda is considering a plan to visit Russia before Putin steps down as president in May, to meet with both Putin and Medvedev, the officials said. Fukuda hopes to win Russia’s pledge of cooperation in this year’s Group of Eight summit meeting, which Japan will host in Toyako, a lakeside resort town in Hokkaido, in July.

Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura may visit Russia in April to lay the ground work for Fukuda’s visit.END

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