On February 19, 2018, Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) held a roundtable discussion “Russia–Japan Relations in the Context of the National Security Strategies”. Mr. Yusuke Arai, Director of National Security Policy Division, Foreign Policy Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, delivered a presentation that became the subject of a vigorous debate among the participants.
On February 19, 2018, Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) held a roundtable discussion “Russia–Japan Relations in the Context of the National Security Strategies”. Mr. Yusuke Arai, Director of National Security Policy Division, Foreign Policy Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, delivered a presentation that became the subject of a vigorous debate among the participants.
Welcoming remarks were delivered by RIAC Director of Programs Ivan Timofeev. Russian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, RIAC Member, Head of Diplomacy Department at MGIMO University Alexander Panov, Russian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, RIAC Vice President Gleb Ivashentsov, professor Sergey Chugrov and Head of Asian and African Studies Department at MGIMO University Dmitry Streltsov along with other Russian experts took part in the discussion.
Mr. Arai drew the audience’s attention that Japan’s defense capacity building does not pose a threat for Russia and is nothing but a respond to the Korean Peninsula’s increasing tensions. Both Russia and Japan are interested in preserving the status-quo, as further militarization of the region is contrary to their national interests. The participants pointed out that both countries should focus on those areas of Russia-Japan relations where their interests coincide including creating a security system of Southeast Asia.
