Japan, Russia sign fishing agreement despite Ukraine tensions

Japan and Russia reached an agreement on quotas for salmon fishing in Russia’s rivers, Japan’s fisheries agency said on Wednesday, although relations have deteriorated further because of the crisis in Ukraine, CNA reported.

With Russia-Japan relations unstable, the annual negotiations between the two governments this year were also affected, thereby affecting the lives of Japanese fishermen in the northern area around the islands. disputed islands.

However, the two countries have agreed on a Japanese fishing quota for 2,050 tonnes of salmon in their exclusive economic zones this year, the same level as last year. Japan will pay Russia fees ranging from 200 million yen ($1.56 million) to 300 million yen ($2.33 million), depending on the actual catch, according to Japan’s fisheries agency.

Annual fishing talks began this month with tensions between Tokyo and Moscow simmering.

Since Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine, Japan has imposed a series of sanctions against Russia, expelled some diplomats and terminated most favored nation status with Russia.

In response to sanctions, Russia withdrew from negotiations with Japan, and froze joint economic projects of the two countries.