According to CCTV News on September 6, on September 5, local time, TASS released a message saying,Russia suspends the agreement signed with Japan on the facilitation of visits to the island by Japanese citizens (the aborigines of the southern Kuril Islands, known in Japan as the four northern islands). The Russian government has ordered the Russian Foreign Ministry to notify the Japanese side of the decision.
According to the comprehensive TASS news agency and “Hokkaido Shimbun” news from Overseas Network on September 6, on September 5, local time, the Russian government announced the “termination” of the contract with Japan, and the previously signed agreement on the facilitation of visits by Japanese citizens (aboriginal people of the South Kuril Islands) to the island If it is invalid, Japanese people will not be able to travel to the southern Kuril Islands (called the four northern islands in Japan) without a visa. Japanese media believe that it will be “extremely difficult” for the Japanese to conduct business in the southern Kuril Islands in the future.
Southern Kuril Islands (Japan Kyodo News)
Visa-free exchanges between residents of the Kuril Islands and Japan began in 1992. Residents of the two countries can hold their own passports with special attached pages for visa-free travel and exchanges. The Russian government announced on the 5th that it would suspend the agreement with Japan on the facilitation of visits by Japanese citizens to the island. Russian Prime Minister Mishustin signed the relevant decree on the 3rd. The Russian government has notified the Russian Foreign Ministry to inform the Japanese side of the relevant decision.
Japanese media said that this time Russia “unilaterally tore up the agreement”, and it will be difficult to restart the agreement in the future.According to previous news from Kyodo News, Russia announced in March that it would suspend negotiations on the conclusion of a peace treaty and stop exchanges between the two countries because of its opposition to Japan’s sanctions against Russia. In view of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, Japan announced that it will not implement this year’s projects for the time being. Exchange programs include sweeping graves of former islanders and others, and visiting places where they used to live.
It is worth mentioning that, according to a CCTV News report on the 1st of this month, on August 31st, local time, according to Russian media reports, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grushko agreed to suspend the EU-Russia visa facilitation agreement by the foreign ministers of EU member states. The EU will not violate, circumvent or withdraw from the visa facilitation agreement signed with Russia without consequences. Russia reserves the right to take any necessary countermeasures, and the EU’s decision will ultimately adversely affect itself. Previously, the EU has tightened visa restrictions on Russian officials and business people, and the suspension of the “EU-Russia Visa Facilitation Agreement” means that it will become more difficult for Russians to apply for visas from EU countries. They will wait longer and pay higher visa fees.
Daily Economic News Comprehensive CCTV News, Overseas Network
Cover image source: South Kuril Islands (Kyodo News Agency)
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