State minister Mabuchi intends to visit disputed territory off Hokkaido

TOKYO, Oct. 4 (Kyodo) - Sumio Mabuchi, minister in charge of Hokkaido development, said Monday that he intends to visit four Russian-held islands off the northernmost Japanese prefecture under a visa-free exchange program, although he did not elaborate on when he will do so.
His comments came after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev recently hinted that
he may soon visit the disputed islands called the Northern Territories in Japan
and the Southern Kurils in Russia.
''I would like to visit (the territory) under the visa-free exchange program so
that I can share the feelings of nostalgia with those who used to live on the
islands,'' Mabuchi told a press conference in the prefecture's easternmost city
of Nemuro, which he was visiting Monday to view the islands from the shore.
Earlier in the day, Mabuchi told reporters, ''I met face to face with former
residents (of the islands) and understood that they have strong feelings for
the return of the Northern Territories.''
In their meeting, former residents told Mabuchi that they want the government
of Prime Minister Naoto Kan to take a resolute stance against Russia over the
longstanding sovereignty row and that Kan should also visit the territory.
But Mabuchi, who doubles as land, infrastructure, transport and tourism
minister, did not specify when he will visit the territory, saying he needs to
arrange the timing considering the schedule of the ongoing extraordinary Diet
session that began Friday.
On the planned trip to the islands by Medvedev, Mabuchi said, ''It is necessary
to continue solid diplomatic negotiations (with Russia).''
In late September, Medvedev reportedly said that he will visit the islands
soon, which would make him the first Russian leader to set foot on the
territory, prompting Tokyo to warn that it would have a significant impact on
Japan-Russia relations.
Last Friday, a source in the Russian presidential office said it would be
desirable for Medvedev to visit them as part of his trip to Japan to attend an
annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum to be held in
Yokohama in mid-November.
During his first visit to Hokkaido since taking office last month, Mabuchi also
met with Hokkaido Gov. Harumi Takahashi and was briefed about the history of
the islands by Nemuro Mayor Shunsuke Hasegawa.
On Monday, rain in the Nemuro area left the islands only barely visible.
The islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri and Shikotan as well as the Habomai islet
group were seized by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. The bilateral
dispute over the islands has prevented Japan and Russia from signing a postwar
peace treaty, as Japan has called for their return.
Japan and Russia started in 1992 the exchange program under which Japanese
citizens -- mainly former residents of the islands -- and Russian residents on
the islands can travel between the territory and Japan without visas or
passports, with the aim of deepening bilateral ties and solving the decades-old
dispute.