Japanese-soviet russian Relations Since 1945

This essay discusses the history of Japanese-Russian relations since World War II. It discusses the territorial dispute between the two countries and the problems of political rapproachement. The essay uses four bilateral summits as case studies to explore patterns, changes and tendencies in the decision-making process. The essay concludes that much of the Cold War system of relations between the two states still remains in place at the end of the 20th century.

More than 50 years on from the end of World War II, relations between Japan and Russia have yet to be normalized. The so called Northern Territories dispute has proved to be a major stumbling block in preventing the two countries from formally signing a peace treaty to end the war. In this volume Kimie Hara reviews the territorial dispute and the problems of political rapproachement in terms of foreign policy decision-making between the two countries. She uses four bilateral summits as case studies to explore patterns, changes and tendencies in the decision-making process. They lead her to conclude that much of the Cold War system of relations between the two states still remains in place at the end of the 20th-century.