TOKYO, Jan 12 (Bernama-Sputnik) — Japan will closely monitor the situation in connection with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intention to visit the Kuril Islands, reported Sputnik, quoting Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi on Friday.
On Thursday, Putin vowed to visit the Kuril Islands at a meeting with entrepreneurs from Russia’s Far East.
“We know that President Putin, during his visit to Khabarovsk on January 11, announced that he would definitely visit the so-called Kuril Islands. We cannot comment on statements made by Russian government officials. The government will continue to monitor the situation closely and act accordingly,” Hayashi told a briefing.
He also reiterated that Japan would continue its sanctions policy against Russia and support for Ukraine.
The four Kuril Islands – Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and Habomai – have been a disputed territory between Russia and Japan since the Second World War, preventing the two countries from signing a peace treaty. Russia rejects Tokyo’s claims to the islands and has created a priority development area programme for the islands for 2016-2025.
