World War II is Over, But Still No Peace: Will Russia and Japan Finally Sign Elusive Treaty?

As for the Eastern agenda, the panel discussion between the Russian President and the Japanese PM focused on the exchange of initiatives on the South Kuril Islands. As you know, Japan wants to obtain them from Russia. Theretofore, it refuses to sign the peace treaty with Russia following the Second World War.

As for the Eastern agenda, the panel discussion between the Russian President and the Japanese PM focused on the exchange of initiatives on the South Kuril Islands. As you know, Japan wants to obtain them from Russia. Theretofore, it refuses to sign the peace treaty with Russia following the Second World War. That is, in fact, we are still at war with Japan, although, more than 73 years have passed since Japan capitulated and the hostilities ceased.

It all brings back the story of the brave Japanese soldier, a scout and saboteur, Hiroo Onoda. In the Second World War, he fought against the Americans in the Philippines. He didn't believe in the defeat of his army to continue fighting on his own for another three decades, entrenched in the jungle of the Philippine island of Lubang. He killed about thirty Filipinos — both civilians and military — and wounded about a hundred. He blew up police patrol cars, mined roads, attacked the US radar base, and engaged in gunfights. The Japanese saboteur ate rats' meat, trapping them. When in 1974 the Japanese hero was found by chance in the jungle by a traveling Japanese hippy student, Hiroo Onoda explained to him that he was ready to lay down his arms only at the order of his immediate superior, Major Yoshimi Taniguchi. Back in Japan, the student spoke about the amazing meeting. The major was also found: having retired, he worked as a salesman in a bookshop. The major got equipped for a long journey. Wearing a WWII uniform, he was taken to the island of Lubang. And here's the historic footage. Hiroo Onoda, who quit the mission by his immediate commander Major Yoshimi Taniguchi, is leaving the jungle to lead a peaceful life in a half-decayed blouse. His weapons include a serviceable rifle perfectly greased with animal fat, a hundred cartridges, a few grenades, and a samurai sword.

 

It took the Japanese veteran 29 years to accept the outcome of World War II. It's hard to predict how much time it will take the Japanese politicians. Apparently, someone must remove them from the task set long ago. But who? Of course, the United States, which first threw atomic bombs on Japan, and then, deterred Japan from signing a peace treaty with Russia and continue to do so, seeking to obtain the South Kurils for a US military base.

The islands themselves are like grains on the map of Russia we have in schools. What's the problem? The territory is almost as small as that on the Amur River that the USSR once sacrificed for the sake of settling a territorial dispute with China. But if we give, say, Kunashir and Iturup to the Japanese for the sake of friendship, then Americans are certain to place their military base there, which will drastically reduce the capabilities of our Pacific Fleet. Is this what we need? No. Can Japan guarantee that this will not happen and it won't let the American base there? Again, no. Japan won't even have time to say a word. It's a vanquished power with limited sovereignty. With all due respect to the Japanese people and Japanese culture, however fiercely the Japanese protest against American bases on their territory, it is hopeless. For the US, the issue is over, like, stay put under our nuclear umbrella. So, we're negotiating confidence-building measures with Japan to conclude the peace treaty.

Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe is a very nice, intelligent, sincere, persistent, and consistent man. He came to the Olympics in Sochi to build good personal relations with Vladimir Putin. Now, acting in his soft manner, he suddenly decided to elicit applause from the audience in support of the conclusion of the peace treaty. There was some intrigue in this, because Shinzo Abe, of course, implied that the peace treaty should be concluded for the benefit of Japan, meaning that it will get the Russian islands.

Shinzo Abe: "This was our 22d meeting with President Putin, and I hope that we will continue to meet further, taking advantage of all the opportunities. Shinzo Abe, Japanese PM Please, support our steps towards concluding the peace treaty. I want to ask the whole audience to support us with energetic applause. Thanks a lot".

The international audience, of course, applauded: some did it out of courtesy, others really in support of Abe's move. But Putin was also applauding. Meanwhile, many wondered: "Vladimir Vladimirovich, what does your applause mean?" Anyway, inspired by the support of the audience, Shinzo Abe continued to develop the initiative.

Shinzo Abe: "The year before last President Putin and I met in my homeland, Nagato. We said with regret that we still hadn't signed the peace treaty. We agreed that we had to change approaches so that our people understood the significance of the fact that we could solve all the existing problems and conclude a peace treaty. And the common development is pivotal for achieving this goal. Common activity will allow our people to better understand each other and to build a friendship".

Putin heard "Change approaches", waited for a while and, like in judo, pretending to concede, unexpectedly forced his opponent in the direction he chose on his own, using his own power. And then the meaning of Putin's applause became clear. He explained it without any questions.

Vladimir Putin: "We have been in talks for 70 years. Shinzo suggested changing approaches. Let's do it. Therefore, it has dawned on me that we should sign a peace treaty, not now, but before the year is out, and without any preconditions. I didn't even ask the audience to support me by applauding. Thank you for this support. And then, based on that peace treaty, we'll continue to solve all the issues as friends. To my mind, this would certainly make it easier for us to resolve all the problems that we have been unable to cope with for 70 years".

As for the applause, it was not a polite rustle, but a great tornado. And only Shinzo Abe did not applaud, sitting awkward with his hands. The situation is too hard to interpret. Someone said that Putin had trolled Abe, but I, for one, don't think that was about trolling. Putin seriously and sincerely wishes to conclude a peace treaty with Japan. And he made a direct proposal. Abe, of course, could not accept it immediately. But Putin's proposal is on the table. If, until recently, someone could say that it was Putin who refused to conclude a peace treaty with Japan, temporizing, now the picture has turned upside down. Putin actually offers Japan to conclude a peace treaty immediately, in the coming weeks or before the year is out. But Japan is not ready. Tokyo has something to think over.

And how much more can one fight? Hey, world! It's time to leave the jungle.