No Congratulation to Russian President

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed a sweeping victory in the presidential election voted on Sunday. There is no report in Japan that expected more peaceful world in Putin’s fifth term, as Russian invasion to Ukraine has entered the third year. Japan lost its diplomatic momentum with Russia after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida accused Russia of its aggression. The negotiation over the Northern Territories of Japan has been gridlocked. Kishida has shown no idea to resume talks with Putin so far. 

Putin reportedly secured 87.28% of all votes, marking a new record. According to the Central Election Commission of Russia, the voter’s turnout rose up to all-time high of 77.44%. Russian government exercised votes in four states in eastern Ukraine and Crimea Peninsula, where Russia has been occupying, demonstrating Russian governance of those regions. “The result of election shows people’s expectation for us to do what we have planned,” said Putin, according to a report of Mainichi Shimbun.

 

Putin’s “victory” brought no surprise to Japan. When Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, was dead in February, newspapers in Japan ran critical editorials against Putin administration. Asahi Shimbun argued that Putin administration was afraid of the braveness of Navalny. “While waging illegal war, it is afraid of fair criticisms from citizens and kills them. It revealed not only danger but fundamental weakness of Putin regime,” said the editorial of Asahi.

 

Most editorials on Putin’s winning were focusing on legitimacy of the election. Editorials of Mainichi Shimbun raised a headline of “Justification of Aggression Cannot Be Tolerated.” It argued that the result had been expected before the election, because the people opposing the war had not been registered as candidates. Yomiuri Shimbun labeled Putin’s “landslide” as a product of oppressive regime in its editorials.

 

Prime Minister Kishida told reporters that he would not say about the result of election in foreign countries. However, Kishida sent a message to the President-elect of Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, in March, 2022. “I congratulate for winning the election for next President,” said Kishida in his statement on the next day of ROK Presidential election. Kishida, at least, did not congratulate Putin for his winning.

 

Kishida emphasized to the reporters that he would uphold the line of solving the issue of Northern Territory and conclude a peace treaty with Russia. The government of Japan has restored its stance on the Northern Territories, as described as “illegally occupied by Russia” in Diplomatic Bluebook in 2022.

 

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took a close stance toward Russia, hoping a historical achievement in normalizing bilateral relationship with Russia. He tried to change Japan’s position from demanding return of “four islands” to “two islands” through personal relationship with Putin. But, his policy was blocked by Putin’s consistency on territorial issues. Knowing well about it, as a Minister for Foreign Affairs in Abe Cabinet, Kishida did not hesitate accusing Russia of its aggression.

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