"尼克松冲击"下日苏关系的调整与"北方四岛"问题(1971—1973)

The Adjustment of the Japanese-Soviet Relations under‘Nixon Shock'and the Issue of‘Four Northern Islands'(1971-1973)

1971年尼克松宣布访华之后,日本和苏联开启了战略性接近的步伐,其标志就是1972—1973年举行的两次和平条约谈判。两国之间实现政治和解的最大障碍是所谓的“北方四岛”问题,其中的关键又在于对国后、择捉两个大岛的处理。由于日本始终不愿放弃对相关岛屿的主权诉求,苏联拒绝了来自日方的一系列解决方案,包括以“剩余主权”为前提的“分阶段返还”,旨在获取“事实主权”的长期租赁协定,以及寻求第三方势力介入的“国际途径”。之后,随着国后、择捉两岛的军事战略价值越发受到重视,以及国内“资源保护派”等保守势力的抬头,加之对美欧外交的进展降低了拉拢日本的紧迫性,苏联又相继撤回了经济和人道层面的对日让步措施。至田中角荣访苏之际,解决“北方四岛”问题的机会窗口实际上已经关闭。在冷战时期有关“北方四岛”问题的交涉过程中,既能看到美苏两大阵营在东北亚地区的政治、军事对抗,又能看到日苏两国围绕战后秩序安排的修正主义与保守主义之争。

Nixon's announcement of his decision to visit China in 1971 triggered a strategic reconciliation between Japan and the Soviet Union,which took the form of negotiations on a peace treaty in 1972-1973.The biggest obstacle to these negotiations was the so-called issue of‘Four Northern Islands',the key to which laid in the handling of Kunashir and Iturup,namely the two larger islands.Since the Japanese government persistently refused to relinquish the appeal of the sovereignty of Kunashir and Iturup outright,the Soviet Union rejected a series of proposals from the Japanese side,including the argument of‘phased return'which premised on the recognition of Japan's'residual sovereignty',the formula of long-term lease which aimed at acquiring‘de facto sovereignty',as well as the international approach'which sought third-party involvement.Afterwards,the tendency to re-value the military-strategic significance of Kunashir and Iturup emerged under the increasing influence of conservatives in the Soviet leadership,such as the‘resource protectionists'.Meanwhile,the rapprochement with the United States and the Western Europe reduced the urgency of a compromise with Japan on the side of the Soviet Union.Against that background the Soviet leadership successively withdrew its concessions to the Japanese side on economic and humanitarian terms.Thus,by the time when the Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka visited Moscow,the window of opportunity to resolve the issue of‘Four Northern Islands'has been actually closed.Through the examination on the course of negotiations over‘Four Northern Islands',it is not difficult to detect the political-military confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union blocs in Northeast Asia,as well as the struggle between the status quo policy of the Soviet Union and Japan's revisionist orientation over the arrangements of postwar order.