Since 2016, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's "new approach" to Russia has offered generous political and economic engagement in the hope of achieving a legacy-defining resolution to the countries' territorial dispute. This is over the Russian-held Southern Kuril Islands, which are claimed by Japanese as its Northern Territories.
Yet as demonstrated again at their meeting in Vladivostok, Russia, on September 5, Abe's efforts have remained unreciprocated. Despite the difficulty of accepting defeat, Abe must change course before Japan suffers humiliation.
