Tokyo blamed Russia for undermining world stability.

According to Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, it was the actions of the Russian Federation in Ukraine that allegedly led to a deterioration in the situation in the food and energy sectors.

“The international community is facing the negative impact of Russian aggression against Ukraine in a number of areas, including in the field of food and energy supplies,” Hayashi said at a meeting with his colleagues from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

At the same time, the Japanese politician stressed that Central Asia, “which has close historical and economic ties with Russia,” was especially seriously affected.

In this regard, the minister noted that Tokyo is willing to promote a new model of relations with Central Asian partners based on "investment in people" and "quality of growth" in order to achieve their sustainable development.

In addition, Hayashi stressed that an agreement was reached with partners to continue discussing the transportation of energy resources through the Caspian Sea as an alternative to existing routes with the participation of Russia "in view of the difficult international situation."

imposing views

The meeting of the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan with a Japanese counterpart was held on December 24 as part of the Central Asia plus Japan dialogue.

This format of cooperation with the countries of the region was initiated by Japan in 2004.

The main topics of discussion are the expansion and strengthening of ties between these states and Japan, as well as the development of mutually beneficial cooperation.

  • Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Japan in the framework of the dialogue "Central Asia plus Japan"

  • © Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan

According to experts, Tokyo's interest in the Central Asian countries especially increased after the formation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a new center of power, which revealed the need to strengthen Japanese positions in the region.

“After all, the Central Asian countries are primarily an important source of energy resources and other minerals such as ore.

And Japan is extremely interested in them, since it itself is almost completely deprived of its own resources, primarily energy, ”Valery Kistanov, head of the Center for Japanese Studies at the Institute of the Far East of the Russian Academy of Sciences, explained in an interview with RT.

In addition, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, along with Russia, China began to spread its influence in the region, which invests a lot in the republics, which Tokyo does not like, the analyst noted.

“China is trying to connect them to its One Belt, One Road project, thereby increasing its political and economic influence there.

And Japan, as a rival of China in Asia and on the world stage in general, seeks to resist this onslaught and restrain it in all vectors in order to promote its interests in the region,” Kistanov added.

Tokyo's ambitions to increase its influence on the Central Asian countries are also noted in the Russian Foreign Ministry.

In particular, the official representative of the department, Maria Zakharova, in a media comment on December 22, noted that Japan is trying to use its capabilities in the region not only for its own benefit, but also to undermine relations between the republics and Russia.

Moreover, this is done by order of the United States, the diplomat added.

“Judging by the rhetoric of the Japanese leaders… they are not so much interested in mutually beneficial cooperation as, as they say, “rallying the world community, including the Central Asian countries, against Russia.”

In practice, Tokyo's economic line in relation to the Central Asian states ... has long been aimed at undermining the branched economic ties that have been formed over the years with the Russian Federation, ”said Zakharova.

In this regard, she expressed the opinion that Japan, "having lost the ability to pursue an independent policy and completely switched to serving foreign interests," seeks to impose the same role on other countries in order to increase all-round pressure on Russia.

  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

  • globallookpress.com

  • © Konstantin Kokoshkin

Following Western trends

Recall that from the very beginning of the special military operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, Japan took an anti-Russian position, supporting the corresponding course of the West.

In particular, on February 25, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, after a meeting of the leaders of the G7 countries, announced that the Japanese authorities would freeze assets and suspend the issuance of visas to Russian individuals and organizations.

In addition, Tokyo has imposed extensive restrictions on financial institutions and exports of military and general products.

Hundreds of items of goods and technologies fell under them, including semiconductors, equipment for ensuring maritime and aviation security, telecommunications equipment, communications equipment, software, and oil refining equipment.

In addition, personal sanctions were imposed against the leadership of Russia, including its President Vladimir Putin, as well as Russian businessmen.

Later, Kishida announced a restriction on the import of luxury goods into the Russian Federation, which began to operate from April 5.

Tokyo also expanded the list of Russian citizens subject to restrictions such as asset freezes.

In addition, Japan will take additional measures to prevent Russia from circumventing sanctions.

In addition, following the United States, Great Britain and the European Union, the Japanese government deprived the Russian Federation of the status of the most favored nation in trade.

In response, Moscow announced the termination of further dialogue with Japan on a peace treaty, the suspension of visa-free travel for Japanese citizens on the basis of agreements on visa-free exchanges between the southern Kuril Islands of the Russian Federation and Japan of 1991, and the withdrawal from the dialogue on establishing joint economic activities in the South Kuriles and blocking Japan's status as a partner of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization for sectoral dialogue.

"Maximum denigrate Russia"

Experts interviewed by RT note that the intransigence and rigidity of Japan's position towards Russia is explained by its positioning itself as a member of the collective West and the G7.

“In addition, Tokyo wants to be the flag bearer of the anti-Russian campaign in Asia.

In this regard, Japan is doing everything to mobilize those countries that have not yet joined Western sanctions in order to win the approval of their “older comrade” - Washington.

And the meeting with representatives of the Central Asian republics was no exception,” Valery Kistanov explained.

A similar opinion is shared by the head of the Department of Oriental Studies at MGIMO, Dmitry Streltsov, noting that Japan acts in solidarity with the G7 countries and shares their policy of containing and isolating Russia.

“And the Japanese strategy towards Central Asia is part of this general approach.

Based on this, Tokyo is trying to denigrate Russia as much as possible in the eyes of the Central Asian republics, making it responsible for disrupting supply chains and the energy crisis, ”he said in a conversation with RT.

  • Police officers in Tokyo

  • AP

  • © Hiro Komae

At the same time, as Valery Kistanov noted, Tokyo itself prefers to introduce restrictions against Russia only in those areas that are most painless for it.

The same energy sector is jealously guarded by Japan, despite the West agreeing on all sorts of price ceilings for Russian energy resources, the analyst said.

“For example, Japan retained its participation in the Russian oil and gas projects Sakhalin, despite the withdrawal of other foreign companies from there.

So anti-Russian rhetoric is one thing, while respecting the vital interests of the country is another.

Japan does not want to cut the energy branch on which it sits, ”the expert argues.

Meanwhile, practice shows that many Central Asian countries take a rather cautious position regarding the Ukrainian crisis, in connection with which Japan should not count on the fact that it will easily be able to impose its views on them in this regard, he said.

“Of course, the countries of Central Asia are not entirely in solidarity with Russia on the Ukrainian issue.

But they already have a formed position on it.

Moreover, it is not beneficial for them to break off relations with the Russian Federation, with which they have long-standing ties and which still has significant influence on them.

Yes, in the future they would like to have equally advantageous relations with the Russian Federation, and with China, and with Japan, and with the West.

But the Central Asian republics will not take any drastic steps even under pressure,” Kistanov summed up.