Japan-Russia Relations and North-east Asian Security.

The Japan--Russia relationship has not changed fundamentally over the past decade: economic ties are still weak, mutual mistrust remains high and the territorial dispute endures. Russia emphasises strengthening economic and political relations while Japan still gives priority to solving the territorial dispute first. Real change can occur only if Russian and Japanese leaders show the strength to break new ground, but the political situation in both countries makes this unlikely for the foreseeable future. If Russia and Japan remain stuck in the past, however, Northeast Asia's future challenges -- addressing emerging security problems through multilateral cooperation and balancing a potentially hegemonic China -- will not be met. Russia and Japan are not the only countries with an interest in improving Russo-Japanese relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]