Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and his Japanese counterpart Takeo Mori have discussed the preparations for the upcoming visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Russia, the Japanese Embassy in Russia told Sputnik on Friday.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st August, 2018) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and his Japanese counterpart Takeo Mori have discussed the preparations for the upcoming visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Russia, the Japanese Embassy in Russia told Sputnik on Friday.
"On August 30, consultations at the level of the deputy foreign ministers of Russia and Japan were held in Moscow. The parties have managed to hold a meaningful discussion during the meeting devoted to the anticipated visit of [Japanese] Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Russia in September," the embassy said.
The deputy ministers have also discussed the further steps in the field of joint economic activities on the Kuril Islands and touched upon the issue of the postponed visit of the third Russian-Japanese business mission to the South Kuril Islands, whose new time frame is currently being discussed.
"The negotiations' participants have also discussed the issues related to the strengthening and expansion of cooperation in order to further deepen mutual trust," the embassy added.
Tokyo asked for the return of the islands of Iturup, Habomai, Kunashir and Shikotan as a condition for the peace agreement at the end of World War II. The Soviet Union in 1956 signed a joint declaration with Japan, agreeing to consider the return of the islands if a peace treaty was concluded. However, the issue has not been resolved to this day, as Tokyo maintains that it has a claim on the islands, while Moscow believes that they became part of the Soviet Union as a result of the World War II and Russia has unquestionable jurisdiction over them.
Following Russian President Vladimir Putin's trip to Japan in December 2016, the relations between the two nations improved, with Moscow and Tokyo agreeing to develop joint projects on the islands, and facilitate movement between the Kuril Islands and Japan.
