The Japanese Political Elite Attitudes Toward the Problem of Territorial Delimitation between Russia and Japan

The problem of Russian-Japanese territorial delimination remains the main issue in bilateral relations. However, in Russian historiography there is a lack of studies devoted to a full-fledged analysis of views of Japanese political elita towards this problem. Generally stated, the purpose of the proposed research project is to study the approaches of the prominent japanese politicians in the problem of Russian-Japanese territorial delimination. Supported by case studies, assesments on politicians’ beliefs on of foreign policy, this study seeks to find how different political, economic, social factors that influenced the process of shaping these beliefs. The method of historical analysis will be used to measure the role of Japanese political elite in decision making process toward the problem of deliminination between Russia and Japan. This research may be useful for contemporary Russsian foreign policy makers since in gives a broad overview of Japanese power elite views of Russian-Japanese territorial delimination.