TOKYO, November 12. /TASS/. The Japanese authorities are sticking to the course of "resolving the issue of the ownership" of the southern part of the Kuril Islands and concluding a peace treaty with Russia, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said in response to a TASS question.

"Japan's policy has not changed. As for the 'northern territories' (that's how the Japanese call the southern part of the Kuril Islands - TASS), we will maintain the course of resolving the issue of the ownership of the four northern islands and concluding a peace treaty," he said.

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).