Japan–Russia relations

Japan–Russia relations are the modern bilateral relations between Japan and Russia, following Empire of Japan–Russian Empire relations (1855–1917) and Japan–Soviet Union relations (1917–1991).

Historically, the two countries had cordial relations until a clash of territorial ambitions in Manchuria led to the Russo–Japanese War of 1904, which ended in a Japanese victory that in turn weakened the House of Romanov's reign in Russia. Japan later intervened in the Russian Civil War (1918–1922), sending troops to the Russian Far East and Siberia, followed by border conflicts between the two countries throughout the 1930s. The two signed a non-aggression pact in 1941, but the Soviet government nevertheless declared war on Japan in 1945 by invading Manchukuo and seizing the Kuril Islands. The two countries ended their formal state of war with the Soviet–Japanese Joint Declaration of 1956, but have still not resolved the Kuril Islands dispute.

Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, relations between the two countries became tense after Japan imposed sanctions against Russia, which then placed Japan on its list of "unfriendly" countries. Japan and Russia each expelled a number of diplomats, and Russia halted peace negotiations with Japan that included talks on resolving the Kuril Islands dispute.