SOCHI. Nov 8 (Interfax) - Moscow has never initiated the deterioration of relations with Tokyo, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, noting that Japanese companies are operating and will continue to operate in Russia.
"It is not us who deteriorated relations with Japan. We were negotiating, trying to find an answer to a very difficult question on the peace treaty, there were questions about possible compromises based on the 1956 declaration [...], indeed, everything is quite difficult, but as a whole, we listened to the Japanese partners. Then Japan suddenly imposed sanctions on us and placed us on some kind of list of threats at some third or fourth position. What kind of bad things have we done to you?" Putin said at a plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club.
Putin attributed such steps by Tokyo to "a command from Washington." "You could even have said, guys, we'll think about it. Should you have immediately obeyed the order unconditionally? Why did you do that? I don't understand it," Putin said.
At the same time, "there are still smart people in Japan, and they are continuing to cooperate, especially in the energy sector, they are not leaving our companies," he said.
"This is because they see that everything is reliable. Despite the fact that Japan has imposed such sanctions, we are doing nothing in response. Japanese companies have been working in our country, and they still do. If they want to work, let them continue," Putin said.
Russia is willing to advance its relations with Japan, he said. "We are ready to build relations with Japan for the next five years and for the next fifty to come. Japan is our natural partner because it is a neighbor," he said.
Russia and Japan have had different periods in their history, "but they like us in Japan, they like Russian culture," he said. "We did not ruin anything. Draw conclusions for yourselves. And we will not fool around here, play the fool, push back, and blame someone for anything. We are ready, please, come back, that's all," Putin said.