ABSTRACT
Gorbachev’s visit to Tokyo and the Joint Statement Soviet President Mikhail S.Gorbachev visited Japan from 16 to 19 April 1991, 18 years after Tanaka’s visit to Moscow. The third big wave of Soviet-Japanese rapprochement came when the Cold War of the post-war era was coming close to its end. The opportunity at this time was created by the then Foreign Minister
4. Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu of Japan and President M.S.Gorbachev of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics held indepth and thorough negotiations on a whole range of issues pertaining to the preparation and conclusion of a peace treaty between Japan and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, including the problem of territorial demarcation, taking into consideration the positions of both sides on the ownership of the Islands of Habomai, Shikotan, Kunashiri, and Etorofu.
