ABSTRACT
The Soviet Union is only one actor among several in the region and the Japanese interest is to neutralize the various powers by balancing them against each other. The Soviets played their pan in exacerbating the issue by harassing fishing vessels in the vicinity of the islands and, since 1978, building up their military strength in the Northern Territories. Behind the Soviet Union's approach to Japan lies a fear born out of historical experience and a Marxist interpretation of events. Marxist analysis suggests that Japan has embarked on a new drive to dominate east Asia. Ail approach would overlook the shifting and contradictory moods beneath the surface, the historical perspective of Russian–Japanese relations, and their international context. The international environment encourages the rising ride of anti-Soviet sentiment in Japan although there are also some countervailing forces. Miyazawa accused the ambassador of not having bothered to study Japanese society and culture sufficiently.
