北方漁業へロシアと協議　政府「協定停止は遺憾」

　ロシアが北方領土周辺海域での日本漁船の安全操業に関する協定の履行停止を発表したことについて、松野博一官房長官は８日の記者会見で「遺憾」の意を表明し、漁期を迎える秋に向け、日本漁船が操業できるようロシアと協議する考えを示した。履行停止はウクライナ侵攻を受けた対ロ制裁への対抗措置とみられ、日ロ関係は一段と冷え込みそうだ。
　松野氏は会見で「一方的に協定の履行停止を発表したことは遺憾だ」と表明。「協定の下での操業が行われるよう、ロシア側と協議を行っていく」と説明した。政府関係者によると、既にこうした立場を伝えたという。（2022/06/08-18:30）

Russia's unilateral suspension of an agreement on safeguarding the operations of Japanese fishing boats in waters near disputed northwestern Pacific islands is regrettable, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said Wednesday.
   Japan plans to hold talks with Russia to allow Japanese fishing boats to operate there during the peak autumn fishing season under the agreement, Matsuno said at a press conference.
   Russia suspended the 1998 agreement in apparent retaliation against Japan's sanctions on Russian over its invasion of Ukraine, a development that is expected to worsen bilateral relations further, pundits said.
   The Japanese and Russian governments negotiate specific conditions, including the size of catches, each year to ensure that Moscow does not interfere with Japanese fishing operations in the waters.
   The Russian Foreign Ministry announced the suspension of the agreement Tuesday. In a statement, it criticized Japan for freezing payments stipulated by the agreement, dragging its feet on signing an annual implementation document on providing nonrepayable technical assistance to the Sakhalin region, which it said is an integral element of the functioning of the agreement.