岸田首相、プーチン氏５選にコメントせず

　岸田文雄首相は１８日、ロシア大統領選でプーチン大統領が通算５選を決めたことについて、「他国の選挙結果」だとして言及を避けた。首相官邸で記者団の質問に答えた。
　首相は今後の日ロ関係に関しては、ロシアのウクライナ侵攻を受けて「平和条約交渉は全くめどが立たない」としつつ、（北方四島）元島民の高齢化を理由に「特に北方墓参を最優先事項として再開を働き掛けなければならない」と語った。（2024/03/18-18:30）

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday avoided making a comment on Russian President Vladimir Putin's election to a fifth term in the presidential race that ended Sunday.
   "It's the result of another country's election," Kishida told reporters.
   "There is no prospect at all for a restart of peace treaty negotiations" between Tokyo and Moscow due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he said.
   But Kishida pointed to the need to "urge Russia to accept a resumption of grave visits" by former residents of the Russian-held northwestern Pacific islands called the Northern Territories in Japan. The disputed islands were seized from Japan by Soviet troops in the closing days of World War II.
   At a news conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi also declined to comment on the Russian election result.