ST. PETERSBURG, June 6. /TASS/. Japan's negative reaction to Russian President Vladimir Putin's remark that Tokyo needs to shift its stance on Ukraine came as no surprise, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Commenting on Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi saying that Putin calling on Japan to change its position on Ukraine in order to continue peace negotiations was "unfair and unacceptable," the spokesman said: "Quite expected." "Our position here is absolutely clear, it was outlined by the head of state. There is nothing to add to it," Peskov said.

Putin, speaking in St. Petersburg at a meeting with the heads of the foreign news agencies organized by TASS , said that Russian-Japanese dialogue would only be possible if Tokyo changed its position on Ukraine. "Now there are no conditions for continuing the dialogue between Russia and Japan on the peace treaty. We do not refuse to resume it, but only if the necessary conditions are created, first of all by the Japanese side," Putin said. He emphasized that the Russian side, unlike Japan, has not done anything to complicate the bilateral dialogue, pointing to "Japan's involvement in the Ukrainian crisis."

Issue

Moscow and Tokyo have been in negotiations on a peace treaty based on the outcome of World War II since the mid-20th century. The main obstacle to such an accord remains the disagreement over rights to the southern part of the Kuril Islands. After the war, the entire archipelago was incorporated into the Soviet Union, but Japan disputes the ownership of the islands of Iturup, Kunashir and Shikotan, as well as several small uninhabited islands. The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stressed that Russia’s sovereignty over these islands is based on a firm legal foundation and is indisputable.

After Tokyo imposed anti-Russian sanctions over the situation in Ukraine, Russia halted consultations with Japan on a peace treaty. Moscow also withdrew from negotiations with Tokyo on the establishment of joint economic activities in the southern Kuril Islands and blocked the extension of Japan's status as a sectoral dialogue partner of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).