311 
occupation and San Francisco Treaty of 1951, continued to obstruct 
the restoration of relations. On October 19, 1956, following the fishe- 
ries agreement of May 14, 1956, bilateral relations were normalized, 
on the condition that negotiations on the territorial issue would con- 
tinue. Reference to the fisheries agreement is contained within the 
“Joint Declaration”: 
The Convention on deep-sea fishing in the northwestern sector 
of the Pacific Ocean between the Union of Soviet Socialist 
Republics and Japan and the Agreement between the Union of 
Soviet Socialist Republics and Japan on cooperation in the rescue 
of persons in distress at sea, both signed at Moscow on 14 May 
1956, shall come into effect simultaneously with this Joint 
Declaration. 
Having regard to the interest of both the U.S.S.R. and Japan 
in the conservation and rational use of the national fishery 
resources and other biological resources of the sea, the U.S.S.R. 
and Japan shall, in a spirit of cooperation, take measures to 
conserve and develop fishery resources, and to regulate and 
restrict deepsea fishing.” 
Japanese salmon fishing near Russian territory can be traced back 
to the latter half of the 19th century. The defeat of Russia in the 
Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 and the subsequent treaty facilitated 
the expansion of Japanese fishing activities. After the Russian revolu- 
tion in 1917, the Soviet Government recognized Japanese fishing rights 
to some extent while simultaneously attempting to expand its own 
operations. The proportion of lots was decreased for the Japanese 
in favor of Soviet fishermen. During the prewar period, both govern- 
ments engaged in negotiations over the fishing lot allocation. 
Meanwhile, the Japanese began a mothership-type salmon fishery 
in waters near Kamchatka. In addition, drift net and trap fishing 
were developed by the Japanese near the northern Kurile Islands, 
which were still under their control. These operations permitted the 
interception of salmon migrating to Russian streams, thereby reducing 
the inshore Soviet salmon catch. 
However, the defeat of Japan in World War II and the development 
of the Soviet fishing industry and increased political stature 
strengthened the Soviet position in subsequent fishery negotiations. 
The Soviet-Japanese ‘Convention on Fishing on the High Seas in 
the Northwest Pacific Ocean’’ was initiated by Soviet pressure and 
terminated the expansion of Japanese high seas salmon fishing. In 
this way, Soviet foreign policy reflecting domestic concerns affected 
the course of Japanese domestic policy. Throughout the fishery 
negotiations, the Soviet approach has been shaped by political and 
maritime considerations on both the domestic and international levels. 
In view of the very real problem of shrinking resources caused by 
overfishing, Soviet actions have also stemmed from concern over con- 
servation. 
The regulatory area, defined by the Convention, included the Ok- 
hotsk Sea, Bering Sea, and Japan Sea. Since then, certain areas have 
been closed to fishing. In 1958, waters of the east coast of the 
Kamchatka Peninsula were closed, followed by the entire Sea of Ok- 
2 Hellman, Donald C. “‘Japanese Foreign Policy and Domestic Politics: The Peace Agreement with 
the Soviet Union.”’ Berkeley and Los Angeles, University of California Press, 1969, p. 163. 
