岸田首相、北方領土返還大会に出席　「平和条約締結の方針堅持」

　岸田文雄首相は「北方領土の日」の７日、東京都内で内閣府などが開いた領土返還要求全国大会に出席した。首相は「日ロ関係は厳しい状況にあるが、領土問題を解決し平和条約を締結する方針を堅持していく」とあいさつ。元島民の高齢化を踏まえ「今は特に北方墓参に重点を置いて（交流）事業の再開を引き続き求めていく」と表明した。
　ロシアのウクライナ侵攻を受けた日本の対ロ制裁にロシアは反発。１月にはプーチン大統領が北方領土初訪問に意欲を示すなど、交渉再開は見通せない状況だ。（2024/02/07-12:59）

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday vowed to conclude a peace treaty with Russia after resolving a territorial row over four northwestern Pacific islands, called the Northern Territories in Japan.
   "Although Japan-Russia relations are in a difficult situation, we will stick to our policy of resolving the territorial issue and concluding a peace treaty," Kishida said at a government-sponsored rally in Tokyo campaigning for the return of the Russian-held islands to Japan, an event held to coincide with Northern Territories Day in Japan.
   The territorial row over the islands, seized from Japan by Soviet troops in the closing days of World War II, has prevented Tokyo and Moscow from formally ending wartime hostilities.
   Given the aging of former Japanese residents of the islands, Kishida said his government will now especially put a focus on the resumption of programs aimed at allowing them to visit family graves on the islands.
   The two countries are unlikely to resume talks anytime soon as Russia has strongly opposed Japan's sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin last month showed a willingness to make his first-ever visit to the islands.