Russia warned Japan today that its recent behaviour in a dispute over a group of Pacific islands was unacceptable, maintaining pressure on Tokyo during a visit by Japan's foreign minister.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told his Japanese counterpart Seiji Maehara that Tokyo's actions had clouded his visit, which came during escalating tension over islands Russia calls the Southern Kurils and Japan calls the Northern Territories.
"Frankly speaking, I was hoping to receive you in Moscow in a more favourable political context than the one which has formed in the recent days because of...a number of unacceptable activities during the so-called Northern Territories day," Mr Lavrov said at the start of talks in Moscow.
Russian president Dmitry Medvedev infuriated Tokyo in November by making the first visit by a Kremlin leader to the islands, which Soviet troops seized at the end of the second World War. His trip provoked a storm of protest from Tokyo, which wants the return of the desolate islands.
Japanese prime minister Naoto Kan called Mr Medvedev's trip "an unforgivable outrage" on February 7th, a day known in Japan as Northern Territories Day.
Mr Maehara said today that Moscow and Tokyo should try to find a way to overcome the dispute.
"There is a territorial problem between Russia and Japan but we should rack our brains to overcome it," Mr Maehara said. "This meets the interests of both countries...and will strengthen economic ties."
Reuters