Russia cannot rid itself of economic stagnation and stabilize people's lives, as long as it remains at loggerheads with the United States and European countries, which are intensifying their sanctions against Moscow. How long will Russia continue taking a hard line?
In Russia's presidential election, President Vladimir Putin was reelected. Since Putin was first elected as the country's president in 2000, he will begin his fourth term in total. Putin is now assured of holding real power in Russia for a stretch of 24 years, when his term of office as prime minister is included.
He won more than 70 percent of the vote. He brought about a landslide victory by the heavy-handed methods of fully mobilizing the state-run media and enterprises while barring any political rivals from running for the presidency. In declaring his victory, he said the voting results "demonstrate people's confidence and hope," and called for their unity.
It is worrisome that with Putin's having won the "trust" of voters, it has become more likely that he will maintain his hard-line foreign policy.
The voting and vote-counting day of the presidential election was set for March 18, the day when Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula of Ukraine four years ago. It is obviously aimed at stimulating nationalistic fervor, leading to voters' support of Putin.
It cannot be overlooked that Putin flaunted "changing the status quo through force," which has destabilized the international order, as an achievement of his administration and utilized it for the election.
Russia's conflict with the United States and European countries deepened further during the presidential election.
Abe must promote island issue
A former Russian spy, who had worked for Russian military intelligence and later took refuge in Britain, and his daughter were rendered unconscious after coming into contact with a suspicious substance. British Prime Minister Theresa May pointed to Russia's involvement in the attack, saying the substance was a nerve agent that had been developed by former Soviet Union, and took such measures as expelling Russian diplomats and others.
The fact that the leaders of the United States, Germany and France also fell in step with Britain in condemning Russia holds significance. The U.S. administration under President Donald Trump issued for the first time sanctions against Russia's cyberattacks that occurred during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
As Russia's economy, which depends on energy resources, has been hit by sanctions imposed in the wake of its annexation of Crimea, people's discontent smolders over low economic growth and widening economic disparity.
Putin has taken a stance of countering the United States by beefing up the country's nuclear force, but it would be difficult for him to maintain a unifying force solely by playing up a "strong Russia."
For Japan, the biggest pending problem in its diplomacy toward Russia is the issue of the northern territories.
To keep the U.S. forces stationed in Japan and South Korea in check, Putin had land-to-ship missiles deployed on the islands of Kunashiri and Etorofu. He also asserts that "if the islands are handed over to Japan, the U.S. military could deploy on them." The intensifying conflict between the United States and Russia has, without doubt, affected the territorial issue.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Russia in May and hold talks with Putin. It will be their 21st meeting in total. Both leaders have agreed on "joint economic activities" on the four northern islands, to be conducted by both countries. Abe should try to achieve progress on the issue by tenaciously conveying to Putin the significance of Japan's economic cooperation.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 20, 2018)
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