End of Japan-Russia nuclear decommissioning pact will make repairing ties more difficult, analysts warn
- Analysts say Russia’s unilateral decision is linked to Japan’s support for Ukraine, following other ‘microaggressions’ amid the decline in bilateral ties
- Japan had helped Russia decommission nuclear submarines under the 1993 pact, but the latest move in deteriorating ties shows ‘very little to rebuild on’
Japan has expressed disappointment at Russia’s unilateral decision to end a 30-year pact under which Tokyo provided technical assistance in the decommissioning of Russian nuclear submarines, as analysts warn the erosion of bilateral agreements will make it difficult to repair ties in the future.
Tokyo only learned of the decision through a message on the Russian government’s website late on November 9 stating that Moscow was ending the project. The document said Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin had signed an order suspending the agreement two days earlier.
No reasons were given for Russia’s decision, although analysts say it is almost certainly the latest tit-for-tat reaction linked to Japan’s support for Ukraine in the ongoing conflict in Europe.
The statement added that Russia “would inform” Japan of its decision.
Hirokazu Matsuno, the Japanese chief cabinet secretary, said on Friday that Tokyo had only just learned of the agreement being scrapped.
Matsuno said it was “regrettable that such a unilateral announcement was made [by Russia] without prior notice to Japan”, Jiji Press reported. He added that Japan had requested further information on Moscow’s decision through diplomatic channels.