Japan and Russia at the beginning of the twenty-first century: - New dimension to maritime security surrounding the “Kuril Islands”

Abstract

Since Moscow decided to host the APEC Summit in Vladivostok, Russian policymakers and scholars have argued that Russia should be a “Euro-Pacific power”. However, Russia’s regional and bilateral priorities in Asia as well as her strategy to become a Pacific power remain uncertain. With the increase in the strategic significance of an ice-free Arctic, the sea of the Far Eastern region is gaining military importance for the Russian Navy. This article examines how the emergence of an ice-free Arctic could influence the security situation surrounding the “Kuril Islands”.