Summary
- Japan’s new Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, has abolished the ministerial post dedicated to economic cooperation with Russia.
- This decision reflects a shift in Tokyo’s strategy regarding the territorial dispute over islands off Hokkaido and a tougher stance amid the Ukraine conflict.
- Analysts see this as a critique of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s failed attempts to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the territory.
- Critics argue that Abe’s meetings with Putin were seen as a charade by the Russian leader.