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INTRODUCTION 
The fisheries issue has played an important, although at times detri- 
mental, role in the development of “‘good-neighborly”’ Soviet-Japanese 
relations. While relations in general have been steadily improving 
between the two countries, fishery negotiations continue to encounter 
both progress and problems. In the past, the Soviet Union has exerted 
various forms of pressure upon Japan to secure its interests, including 
reductions of quotas and fishing areas, seizure and detention of scores 
of Japanese fishermen, and refusal to negotiate over certain issues. 
However, productive bilateral discussions have lessened the degree 
of conflict in procedural matters and have resulted in the creation 
of some cooperative endeavors. 
The Soviet-Japanese Fisheries Commission for the Northwest Pacific 
was established in conjunction with the normalization of Soviet- 
Japanese relations in May of 1956. This regulatory body has continued 
to meet on an annual basis to determine the quota and conditions 
of salmon, herring, and crab fishing in the interest of the rational 
utilization of resources, and illustrates the success of bilateral discus- 
sions in promoting cooperative endeavors. 
Japan rates as the world’s foremost fishing power, followed by the 
Soviet Union. Fishing relations between these two countries are com- 
plicated both by the obvious importance of this industry to their 
national economies and by their geographic proximity. Fish products 
constitute an integral part of both national diets. Traditionally, the 
Japanese have fished for salmon and crab near Russian waters. More 
recently, Soviet fishing fleets have been operating near Japanese 
waters in search of mackerel. Such use of each other’s fishing grounds 
highlights the need for procedural agreements in order to lessen the 
potential for conflict. 
The bilateral fisheries agreements demonstrate a trend toward 
cooperation. In addition to agreements on such maritime resources 
as salmon, herring, crab, sea kale, and whales, the Soviet Union and 
Japan have reached an agreement on technical and scientific coopera- 
tion. These agreements provide a basis of understanding and highlight 
the substantive areas which have potential resolutions. Agreements 
in this area provide insight into the nature of Soviet ocean’s policy 
and are significant in both a substantive and a political sense. For 
example, the Soviet perception of American and Chinese roles in 
Asia influence Soviet maritime agreements with Japan. The fisheries 
issue therefore cannot be separated from the general political and 
economic dimensions of Soviet-Japanese relations. 
Since 1956, progress has been made in the areas of regulatory 
fishing measures, scientific cooperation, and most recently, claims set- 
tlement. However, the dispute over the sovereignty of the Southern 
Kurile Islands remains unresolved and continues to cause friction 
between the two countries. At stake are the four islands of Shikotan, 
the Habomai group, Kunashiri, and Etorofu. These islands, controlled 
by the Soviets but claimed by the Japanese, are located north of 
the Japanese island of Hokkaido. Japan insists upon resolution of 
the territorial dispute of these ‘“‘Northern Territories” before the con- 
clusion of a peace treaty, while the Soviet Union stresses the need 
to secure the latter first. The Japanese demand for the return of 
