As Russia and Japan strive in 2016 for a breakthrough in a relationship long seen as falling behind its true potential, historical consciousness on the Russian side is an overlooked factor. Japanese historical memory toward Russia has been widely examined. Balance of power in East Asia or economic objectives of the two countries have been the subject of frequent attention. Neglect of Russian thinking about Japan’s past and the history of their bilateral relationship make it difficult to interpret Russian officials’ references to history in recent remarks.¹ In this article, I analyze the historical and psychological grounds of the Russian mindset towards Japan, which have remained practically intact since the Cold War, and present the overall process of resolving divisions between Russia and Japan in the context of how Russians perceive Japan.

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