316 
In a follow-up visit in October of the same year, Japanese Foreign 
Minister Masayoshi Ohira met with Gromyko and Soviet Premier Alek- 
sei Kosygin in Moscow to continue discussions in this area. Illustrative 
of this connection between the peace treaty and the territorial 
question, Moscow reportedly maintained that a possible transfer of 
the two smaller islands, Shikotan and Habomai, should suffice. Both 
sides agreed to continue negotiations. Two other significant events 
in 1972 complicated Soviet relations with Japan. The Sino-American 
and Sino-Japanese summit meetings toughened the Soviet attitude in 
view of its own lack of progress in bilateral relations with Japan. 
A Soviet-Japanese summit meeting took place in October, 1973. 
The ministerial discussions in 1972 had laid the foundations for this 
Moscow meeting between Soviet Communist Party leader Leonid 
Brezhnev and Japanese Premier Kakuei Tanaka, the first such visit 
by a Japanese premier since 1956. Their discussions included the 
joint major development projects in Siberia, the Soviet proposal for 
collective security in Asia, and the conclusion of a peace treaty. 
No resolution of the peace treaty issue was achieved other than an 
agreement to continue discussions. The joint communique made no 
reference to the territorial question. 
A discrepancy between the Russian and Japanese texts of the joint 
communique of October 10, 1973 caused diplomatic problems in con- 
nection with fishing relations. The agreement to continue negotiations 
on safe fishing in the disputed territorial waters was omitted in the 
Russian version. However, an exchange of diplomatic letters resulted 
in a Soviet acknowledgment of the error. The issue of safe fishing 
operations is inextricably connected to the territorial dispute, which 
heightens the dilemma faced by the Soviet Government. While, con- 
cessions in the way of improved fishing rights could strengthen bi- 
lateral fishing relations, they could also weaken the Soviet claim to 
the territory by recognition of Japanese rights in the area. 
Mention was made of fishing relations in the “‘Joint Soviet-Japanese 
Statement” issued at the end of Tanaka’s three-day visit: 
The two sides held an exchange of opinions on ways of solving 
problems connected with fishing by the Soviet Union and Japan. 
As a result, the two sides, with a view to insuring long-term 
and stable commercial fishing in the Northern part of the Pacific 
Ocean, agreed to take appropriate steps, including the question 
of determining the size of the catch. The two sides reached a 
common opinion on the point that the appropriate ministers of 
the two countries should hold consultations on this question as 
soon as possible. 
The two sides exchanged opinions on the talks, begun earlier, 
on commercial fishing by Japanese fishermen in areas on which 
the two sides will reach a separate agreement." 
Fishery talks followed shortly after the 1973 summit meeting in 
Moscow. The Japanese delegation had unsuccessfully demanded fish- 
ing rights for its fishermen near the Soviet-controlled islands claimed 
by Japan. Earlier in the year, Soviet Fisheries Minister A.A. Ishkov 
had asserted that the interests of the Japanese fishermen would be 
taken into consideration, but unlimited Japanese operations in the 
area would not be permitted. At this time, Ishkov sought Japanese 
' Japan's Tanaka Visits the U.S.S.R. Current Digest of the Soviet Press, v. 25, no. 41, p. 5S. 
