The Japanese government has already lodged a protest over Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Etorofu Island in the Northern Territories, but if the response is limited to protest alone, Russia has little incentive to reconsider its actions. On the other hand, swinging to symbolic retaliation such as a complete halt to dialogue would not serve Japan's interests. What matters is making Russia recognize that pressuring Japan in the Northern Territories cannot change Japan's policy.From that perspective, the government should examine what signals Japan's Russia policy in recent years h…READ FULL ARTICLE
