2
WHAT
MAKES
JAPAN
AND
THESOVIET
UNION
"DISTANT
NEIGHBORS?"
geographic proximity, economic complementarily, and culture and historic heritage; 2) basic framework, such as politico-social systematic
structures and military-strategicassociationshaving mutually antagonizing alliances and diplomatic orientations; 3) perceptions, policies, and
foreign behaviors; and 4) issues and disputes, the most important of
which is the Northern Territories question.
1. BACKGROUND
FACTORS
(1) Geographic Proximity
Geographically,Japan and the USSR are neighbors. In my view, the customary proposition that geographicproximity leadsto, or ought to lead to,
good neighborlyrelations(a conclusiondrawn by many SovietandJapanese
commentators)warrants criticism.Japanesepoliticiansand journalistsfrequently make the point that Japan has no choicebut to be friendly toward
and live peacefullywith the Soviet Union, regardlessof ideologicaldifferences and subjectivepreferences.For example,AkagiMunenori, a former
Japanese Minister of Agriculture and Forestry and the President of the
Japan-USSR Society, stated that "The main factor in our [Japan-Soviet]
relations is that Japan and the Soviet Union are neighbors, and we must
live like good neighbors."4Sovietspokesmenhavefrequentlyquoted a statement allegedlymade in 1973 by former Japanese Prime Minister Tanaka
Kakuei: "Though the distancebetween the capitalsof Tokyo and Moscow
may be great, the USSR and Japan neverthelessare close neighbors (blizkie
sosedy)."5"Therefore, it is not surprising," other Soviet spokesmenhave
continued, "that both Moscowand Tokyo attach much importance to the
expansionof Soviet Japaneserelations."6Elaboratingfurther,Sovietspokesmen have drawn the bold conclusion that geographicproximity (geograficheskaia blizost') "necessitates"or provides "objectiveconditions" (N.
Nikolaev and A. Pavlov) or "objectivenecessity"(G. Krasin, V. Dal'nev,
0. V. Vasil'ev) for developinggood-neighborlinessand mutual cooperation between the Soviet Union and Japan.?