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Russia-Japan dispute over Kuril Islands

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Japan wants to specify plan of joint activities on Kuril Islands - deputy foreign minister

Japan’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Takeo Akiba, said Tokyo "would like to take steps relying on the principle that any agreement should not damage the two countries’ stances"

TOKYO, March 18. /TASS/. The Japanese government hopes to specify the plan on the Russian-Japanese joint activities on the southern Kuril Islands , Japan’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Takeo Akiba, said on Saturday ahead of consultations with his Russian counterpart, Igor Mogrulov.

RUSSIA-JAPAN DISPUTE OVER KURIL ISLANDS

"Following (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin’s visit last December, agreements were reached on the agricultural activities on the four islands and trips by former residents and other (Japanese nationals) to the islands. The two sides see eye to eye on the need to make the agreements reached by the two leaders more specific," he said.

According to Akiba, Japan "would like to make some steps forward towards the common goal - signing a peace treaty," relying on the principle that "any agreements on the joint activities and their implementation should not damage the two countries’ legal stances."

A joint statement was adopted following Putin’s visit to Japan on December 15-16, which said that the beginning of the consultations on joint Russian-Japanese economic activities on the southern Kuril Islands could be an important step toward signing a peace treaty. Besides, the two sides proceed from the assumption that this statement and any agreements reached on its basis on joint economic activities and their implementation do not impair the Russian and Japanese stances on the peace treaty issue.

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Japan Dispute over Kuril Islands

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