by Jazz singer » 01 Feb 2009, 02:10
I would think that the issue of the Kurils Islands is a more pressing problem to Japan than the exportation of USED cars to the Russian Far East.
Successive Japanese governments have lately pushed that issue at the forefront of their diplomacy with Russia.
It's an obstacle for Russia and Japan signing the peace treaty that would officially end WWII, but Japan is pragmatic and it hasn't affected the business relations between the 2 countries, YET!
Lately Japan has been more nationalistic than say 20 or 30 years ago, and is keen to recover the 4 islands. The loss of those affects Japan's prestige. An extreme-right government could egage in some hostility, starting with sending fishermen in the area to harass the Russians, and a conflict could escalade from that.