---
title: "Russia sees no reason to discuss peace with Japan, the Kremlin says"
description: "MOSCOW, April 8 (Reuters) - Russia sees no reason to discuss the possibility of signing a long-awaited peace treaty with Japan to formally end World War Two because of Tokyo's unfriendly stance towards Moscow, the Kremlin said on Tuesday."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Peace talks"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-04-08-russia-sees-no-reason-to-discuss-peace-with-japan-the-kremlin-says/"
published: "2025-04-08T12:31:33"
updated: "2025-04-08T12:31:35"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 191
---

# Russia sees no reason to discuss peace with Japan, the Kremlin says

> MOSCOW, April 8 (Reuters) - Russia sees no reason to discuss the possibility of signing a long-awaited peace treaty with Japan to formally end World War Two because of Tokyo's unfriendly stance towards Moscow, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.

By Reuters · Published 8 April 2025, 14:31 SAST · Updated 8 April 2025, 14:31 SAST

## Key points
- In a diplomatic tango as awkward as a two-left-footed bear, Russia and Japan remain stuck in a post-war limbo, with Moscow's grip on the disputed islands proving as stubborn as a cat in a bathtub, especially now that Tokyo has decided to join the West's sanctions party against its former foe.
- Russia and Japan remain in a state of unresolved conflict since WWII, lacking a formal peace treaty.
- The territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands/Northern Territories has stalled treaty negotiations.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed no current communication with Japan amid ongoing tensions.
- Peskov cited Japan's alignment with Western sanctions against Russia as a barrier to potential negotiations.

## Content

Russia, the successor state to the Soviet Union, and Japan have never signed a treaty formally ending their hostilities during World War Two.

Soviet troops took control of four islands off Japan's Hokkaido - known in Russia as the Kurils and in Japan as the Northern Territories - at the end of the war and they have remained in Moscow's hands since. The territorial dispute has prevented progress on signing a treaty.

"No, there are no contacts with the Japanese authorities at the moment," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, when asked about a Japanese Foreign Ministry report which said Tokyo was still committed to signing a treaty and hoped to return the islands.

"You know that Tokyo has rushed to fully join in all unfriendly and hostile steps towards our country," Peskov added, referring to Japan's decision to join Western sanctions against Russia to punish it for its military action in Ukraine.

Given "the real state of affairs" and Japanese sanctions on Moscow, Peskov said it was "hardly possible to talk about the possibility of any negotiations".

(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov Writing by Maxim Rodionov; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge/Andrew Osborn)