31st October 2026 – (Moscow) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi that Tokyo must abandon its current unfriendly policy towards Moscow in order to restart full-scale bilateral dialogue. The conversation took place at the request of the Japanese side on the sidelines of a Group of 20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Atlanta, United States.
Japan has joined Western nations in imposing sanctions on Russia and has intensified its criticism since the Russia-Ukraine conflict erupted in February 2022. According to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lavrov emphasised that a return to constructive engagement would require Japan to revise its stance. The last time the two ministers met formally was in September 2021 during the 76th United Nations General Assembly in New York.
