Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s widow, Akie Abe, visited Russia recently. On Thursday, May 29, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Akie Abe at the Kremlin. Putin paid tribute to Shinzo Abe, mentioning that he knew Abe had dreamed of ultimately signing a post-World War II peace treaty.
The dispute over the four islands of the Southern Kurils (referred to as the Northern Territories by Japan) occupied by the Soviet Union at the end of the war remained unresolved between Russia and Japan, leading to the failure to conclude any treaty.
Russian media reported that during Shinzo Abe’s nearly nine years in power, he and Putin met a total of 27 times. Abe stepped down in 2020, and on July 8, 2022, he was fatally shot during a speech in Nara at the age of 67.
“I know his dream – and he really worked on it – was to sign a peace treaty between our two countries. But circumstances have changed now,” Putin told Akie Abe.
According to Russian news agencies, Putin delivered a speech to Abe’s widow at the Kremlin, stating that given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the current international situation, realizing this dream is impossible.
Putin told Akie Abe, “Your husband made a significant contribution to the development of Russo-Japanese relations. Our personal relationship was very good.”
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Japanese government supported sanctions against Ukraine’s Western allies, leading to strained relations between Russia and Japan. All negotiations regarding the peace treaty have been suspended.
Akie Abe reportedly informed Putin that her husband had always wanted to meet him, even after the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, saying, “Unfortunately, circumstances prevented him from meeting you again. His life was cut short.”
(This article is based on reports from Reuters.)