Gorbachev's Japan Policy: The Northern Territories Issue

Abstract

The period since Gorbachev's ascent to the top leadership in the Soviet Union can be roughly divided into four phases as far as Japanese-Soviet relations are concerned. In the first phase (March 1985-Fall 1986) Foreign Ministers Eduard Shevardnadze and Shintaro Abe visited each other's country and several agreements were signed; it was expected that USSR-Japan relations would show smooth upward trend. The second phase (Fall 1986-Fall 1987), however, was period of stagnation and perhaps even slight cooling in relations due to Japan's participation in SDI research, the Toshiba case, spy incidents, the mutual expulsion of diplomats, and the postponement of Gorbachev's projected visit to Tokyo. During the third phase (Fall 1987-Fall 1989), there was an upward trend in Soviet-Japanese relations, with Moscow finally giving de facto recognition to the existence of territorial issue: the Northern Islands. The fourth distinct phase commenced with the announcement on September 27, 1989, that Gorbachev would visit Tokyo in 1991. While some zigzagging took place, with the ascension of Gorbachev to the top Soviet leadership, Japan-Soviet relations can basically be said to have started off in direction favorable for their improvement. There are five grounds that warrant such view. First, the Gorbachev regime has greatly improved the Soviets stance toward Japan which used to be one of contempt. This is clearly exemplified in the statements by the general secretary himself. In his famous speech at Vladivostok in the summer of 1986, he described Japan as a power of front-rank importance.' Judging