Japan envoy reports Medvedev's isle visit, FM warns over further visits+

TOKYO, Nov. 3 Kyodo -
Japanese Ambassador to Russia Masaharu Kono returned home Wednesday and
provided a briefing on Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's recent visit to one
of the Russian-held islands claimed by Japan to government leaders, including
Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara.
After meeting with Kono, Maehara warned the Russian leader not to make
additional visits to the disputed islands -- Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan and
the Habomai islet group -- telling to reporters, ''We've conveyed our stance
that the four islands are traditional Japanese territory. I expect (the Russian
side) to take it into account.''
Maehara also said, ''I was briefed (by Kono) about the background and aims of
the president's visit as well as internal conditions (of Russia).''
It will be decided later after discussion with Kan and Chief Cabinet Secretary
Yoshito Sengoku when Kono should return to Moscow and if Japan should take
countermeasures against the Medvedev's visit, Maehara added.
The moves come after Medvedev visited Kunashiri Island off Hokkaido on Monday
as the first leader from Russia or the former Soviet Union to travel to any of
the four islands, triggering an immediate protest from former Japanese
islanders and the Japanese government.
Referring to the upcoming summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum
in Yokohama later this month, Maehara showed willingness to meet with his
Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the occasion, saying, ''I'll convey
Japan's position, and I hope to discuss (with Lavrov) how to establish
cooperative ties by exchanging views over the future course of the bilateral
relationship.''
Prior to leaving Moscow on Tuesday night, Kono said, ''I will temporarily stay
in Japan as I was ordered to explain the current Russian situation.''
When asked by reporters how long his stay would be, he said, ''I don't know for
now.''
Russia's Interfax news agency quoted Lavrov as saying during his visit to Oslo
on Tuesday that Japan's bringing its ambassador to Russia temporarily back to
Tokyo is an ''internal affair'' and that Moscow has no plan to take any
retaliatory action, such as recalling its own ambassador.
Medvedev's visit to Kunashiri coincided with Tokyo's involvement in a serious
diplomatic row with China over the sovereignty of the Senkaku Islands in the
East China Sea.
The four islands off Hokkaido were seized by the Soviet Union between Aug. 28
and Sept. 5, 1945, following Japan's surrender in World War II on Aug. 15.
Japan claims the islands have been occupied illegally.
==Kyodo
2010-11-03 22:08:15


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