japanreviewRussian Japanology ReviewRussian Japanology Review2658-67892658-6444Association of Japanologists10.55105/2658-6444-2022-1-49-75japanreview-68Research ArticleСтатьиFunctionalist Approach to Explain Russian-Japanese Relations under Abe and Putin Administrationshttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4504-2322IshkineevaG. F.

Ishkineeva Guzel Faridovna – PhD (Sociology), Post-doctoral researcher Graduate School of  Humanities and Social Sciences, Tsukuba University.

Tsukuba.

guzel-i@hotmail.comhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2372-8198IshkineevaF. F.

Ishkineeva Farida Falesovna – PhD (Sociology), Associate Professor, Department of General and Ethnic Sociology, Institute of Social and Philosophic Sciences and Mass Communications Kazan Federal University.

Kazan.

farida1967@mail.ruTsukuba UniversityJapanKazan Federal UniversityRussian Federation202203082022514975Copyright © Ishkineeva G.F., Ishkineeva F.F., 20222022Ishkineeva G.F., Ishkineeva F.F.Ishkineeva G.F., Ishkineeva F.F.Данная работа распространяется под лицензией Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.https://www.japanreview.ru/jour/article/view/68

Russian-Japanese relations present one of the most interesting cases of international relations with a perplexing historical background and a complex set of factors influencing contemporary  dynamics of Russian- Japanese interaction. The relations are claimed to have improved under Putin and Abe administrations, introduction of the Eight-Point Cooperation Plan and establishment of a unique post of a Minister for Cooperation with Russia. This article analyzed the specific period of Russian-Japanese relations between 2016 and 2019. Improved bilateral relations created a historical precedent that is important to understand in light of contemporary deteriorated relations between Japan and  Russia. However, Russian-Japanese  cooperation in this period is complicated by a complex historical legacy and other factors and is set to be locked in a Kurilian stumbling block. International relation theories traditionally applied to  analyze Russian-Japanese  relations fail to suggest the way out and the mechanisms to improve Russian-Japanese relations. The present article explores the theoretical apparatus traditionally applied to Russian-Japanese  relations and investigates  the potential of a functionalist approach to explain Russian-Japanese relations between 2016 and 2019. Functionalism describes the way to improve relations of countries with adversarial relations by moving away from high-politics issues and quid pro quo logic and focusing on the problem-solving approach. The spill-over effect occurs when cooperation established in one field expands to other areas. The article concludes by arguing that, in contemporary  Russian-Japanese cooperation, there is a hybrid spill-around effect.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.