MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. President of the Japanese House of Councilors (upper house of parliament) Chuichi Date has warned against shifting the signing of a peace treaty between Tokyo and Moscow to the next generations’ shoulders.
Speaking at a plenary session of Russia’s Federation Council, the upper house of parliament, on Tuesday Date said: "Since the end of World War II there has been an abnormal situation between our countries - the lack of a peace treaty."
"This is very sad. We are obliged to make every effort to end challenging problems between Japan and Russia, sign a peace treaty and give a greater impetus to the potential of bilateral relations," the politician said.
"I believe as people, who are directly related to politics, we should try to solve this problem when we are alive rather than shift this to the shoulders of our next generations," he stressed.
Russia and Japan have been in talks to sign a peace treaty since the mid-20th century. The main stumbling block to achieving this is the ownership issue over the Southern Kuril Islands. After the end of World War II, the Kuril Islands were incorporated into the Soviet Union. However, the ownership of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan Islands and the Habomai Islands is being challenged by Japan. Russia’s Foreign Ministry has stated many times that Russia’s sovereignty over the islands is beyond doubt. In 1956, the Soviet Union and Japan signed a joint declaration on ceasing the state of war, but no peace treaty has been signed so far.