摘要
Since the end of the Cold War both Russia and Japan have been attempting to build a new framework for their bilateral relations. As a result of the Ukraine crisis in 2014, Russia has shown greater interest in pivoting to the East, looking for partners in Northeast Asia. This has coincided with the Abe administration seeking to construct a strategic cooperative partnership with Russia in order to contain the rise of China. The changes in the relations between the two major powers will have profound influences on the security structure of Northeast Asia and the trends of regional hotspot issues.
Driven by both countries' inherent demands for development as well as external geopolitical pressures, the Japan-Russia relations have witnessed rapprochement in recent years. Nevertheless, some deep-rooted disagreements and constraints remain obstacles to smooth cooperation between the two countries.
