Japan recalls envoy from Moscow over territorial dispute - Summary

Tue, 02 Nov 2010

Tokyo - The Japanese government said Tuesday it would recall its ambassador from Moscow in response to a visit by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to a disputed island north-east of Japan.

Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara said the recall was temporary.

The decision was made after he talked to Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, he said.

A government official in Tokyo earlier said that the leaders of Japan and Russia were expected to meet at the sidelines of an upcoming summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) in Japan in mid-November.

"I believe the bilateral talks are to be held at the time of the meeting in Yokohama," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku told a news conference.

But Maehara said that the meeting had not been arranged yet.

Medvedev on Monday traveled to Kunashiri Island, one of the disputed Kuril Islands north-east of Japan. The 56 Kuril Islands are under Russian rule, but Japan claims the four southern islands, including Kunashiri, as its territory.

Kan on Monday described the visit as "very regrettable," as Japan had warned the visit would seriously hurt the two countries' relations.

Medvedev was the first Russian leader, including those of the Soviet Union, to visit the islands, which Japan refers to as the Northern Territories.

The islands were occupied by Soviet forces during the closing days of World War II. The two countries have not signed a peace treaty because of the row over the islands.

The region between the Japanese northern main island of Hokkaido and Russia's Kamchatka peninsula is known to be rich in mineral deposits and fishing stock.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/351445,territorial-dispute%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0-summary.html.