日本圍繞四個爭議島嶼 對俄羅斯打經濟牌

Japan and Russia are discussing almost 100 economic co-operation projects as they prepare to negotiate over four disputed islands at a high stakes summit in December.

日本和俄羅斯正在討論近100個經濟合作項目，同時兩國準備在12月一個事關重大的峯會上圍繞四個爭議島嶼展開談判。

In an interview with the Financial Times, Hiroshige Seko, Japan’s minister for economy, trade and industry, said the Japanese side had put forward tens of projects and the Russian side had come forward with almost 70.

日本經濟產業大臣世耕弘成(Hiroshige Seko)在接受英國《金融時報》採訪時表示，日本方面提出了幾十個項目，而俄羅斯方面提出了近70個項目。

“Right now, officials at various ministries are working with their Russian counterparts to firm these projects up, and check which ones are viable,” said Mr Seko, before a weekend trip to Moscow for talks with Russian ministries. “There’s huge energy going into coordinating this.”

“眼下，各部的官員們正與俄羅斯同行合作，深入研究這些項目，確定哪些是可行的，”世耕弘成在週末啓程前往莫斯科與俄方商談之前表示。“投入了大量精力來協調這方面的努力。”

The intensity of discussions shows the weight prime minister Shinzo Abe is putting on his latest effort to resolve the long-running dispute over a group of islands Russia calls the Kuriles and Japan the Northern Territories.

討論的強度表明，日本首相安倍晉三(Shinzo Abe)高度注重其解決這一長期爭端的最新努力。俄羅斯稱這個爭議島羣爲庫頁島(Kuriles)，日本稱其爲北方領土(Northern Territories)。

But it also raises the risk of a post-summit backlash in Japan if there is no progress on the islands. Last week, a Russian parliamentarian visiting Tokyo said there is “no discussion going on at all on things like the handover of the islands”.

但是，如果在這些島嶼的問題上沒有進展，峯會之後在日本遭遇反彈的風險也會加大。上週，一位俄羅斯議員在訪問東京期間表示，“根本沒有討論島嶼移交之類的事情。”

Mr Abe’s new approach to Russia — launched at a Sochi summit with president Vladimir Putin in May — is aimed at building a broader relationship with Moscow to ease negotiations on the islands. The two men met again at Vladivostok in September and will hold a summit in Mr Abe’s home prefecture of Yamaguchi on December 15th.

安倍對俄羅斯的新政策是在5月與俄羅斯總統弗拉基米爾.普京(Vladimir Putin)在索契舉行的峯會上發起的，目的是與莫斯科方面構建更廣泛的關係，爲圍繞爭議島嶼的談判創造條件。兩人9月在符拉迪沃斯託克再次會晤，並將於12月15日在安倍的故鄉山口縣(Yamaguchi)舉行峯會。

Mr Seko said his goal was to prepare economic co-operation projects by then. “We want a win-win relationship. Without thinking about the Northern Territories too much, we want to set up economic projects of benefit to Japan.”

世耕弘成表示，他的目標是在峯會之前準備好經濟合作項目。“我方想要一個雙贏的關係。在不過多考慮北方領土的情況下，我方希望建立對日本有利的經濟項目。”

“But if both countries can work together and develop a really good relationship, then it’ll help make a better environment for prime minister Abe and foreign minister [Fumio] Kishida to conduct their Northern Territories negotiations.”

“但是，如果兩國能夠共同努力，發展真正良好的關係，那麼它將有助於爲首相安倍晉三和外務大臣岸田文雄(Fumio Kishida)進行北方領土談判創造一個更好的環境。”

Mr Seko declined to comment on specific projects, but among those mooted are upgrades to Khabarovsk airport, coal export terminals at Vanino and Vostochnyy as well as investments in fossil fuels and renewable energy.

世耕弘成拒絕對具體項目發表評論，但雙方考慮的項目包括哈巴羅夫斯克機場(Khabarovsk airport)的升級改造，瓦尼諾(Vanino)和沃斯托尼(Vostochnyy)的煤炭出口碼頭，以及化石燃料和可再生能源領域的投資項目。

“The Japan-Russia economic relationship so far has been centred on energy,” said Mr Seko. “But there are areas where the Russian people have needs such as hospitals or urban development, promoting industry in the Far East, or co-operation in advanced technology. We want a menu of projects that makes Russians feel a real difference in their lives.”

“日俄經濟關係迄今以能源爲中心，”世耕弘成表示。“但是俄羅斯有一些地方的人民需要醫院或城市發展等等，促進遠東地區的工業，或者在先進技術領域開展合作。我們想要一個項目菜單，讓俄羅斯人在生活中感受到真正的不同。”

Mr Seko said he envisions private companies taking the lead, with Japan’s government offering finance, and working with Russia to overcome regulatory hurdles. But he also vowed that “not violating sanctions is an absolute precondition”.

世耕弘成表示，他的設想是由私營企業主導，日本政府提供資金，並與俄羅斯合作克服監管障礙。但他也誓言“不違反制裁是絕對的先決條件”。

Tokyo is part of G7 sanctions put in place after Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Japanese banks say they are feeling contradictory pressures from government both to tighten the enforcement of sanctions and restore lending to Russia to its previous highs.

俄羅斯吞併克里米亞後，東京方面參與了七國集團(G7)的一致對俄製裁。日本各銀行表示，他們在兩方面受到政府的壓力，既要收緊制裁的執行，又要把對俄羅斯的放貸恢復到之前的高點。

The two countries never signed a peace treaty after World War Two because of Moscow’s seizure of the four southernmost islands of the Kuril chain. Covering about 5,000 square kilometres, the islands offer rich fishing and have a Russian population of thousands. The previous Japanese population was expelled after the war.

這兩個國家在第二次世界大戰後從未簽署和平條約，因爲莫斯科方面奪取了千島羣島最南端的四個島嶼。這些島嶼的總面積達到約5000平方公里，周邊海域擁有豐富漁業資源，島上有數千俄羅斯居民。以往的日本居民在戰後被驅逐。

The starting point for any settlement would most likely be a 1956 joint declaration by Japan and the Soviet Union agreeing that the smallest of the four disputed islands — Habomai and Shikotan — should go back to Japan. But there is little sign Mr Putin is minded to return any territory at all.

任何和解的起點很可能是1956年日本和蘇聯的聯合聲明，當時的蘇聯同意向日本移交四個爭議島嶼中較小的兩個：齒舞羣島(Habomai)和色丹島(Shikotan)。但沒有什麼跡象表明普京有意交還任何領土。