Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to the disputed Northern Territories is forcing Japan to return to square one in its diplomatic efforts to invite President Vladimir Putin to Tokyo later this year.
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Earlier in the day, Medvedev arrived for a working visit on the Iturup Island, one of the four Kuril Islands.
Hajime Hayashi, the head of the Japanese foreign ministry’s European division, called the Russian ambassador in Tokyo over the visit, saying it was “extremely regrettable”.
“Should he visit, it would be incompatible with Japan’s position and hurt national sentiment”, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a news conference Friday before the Russian prime minister’s arrival.
Medvedev visited Iturup island, called Etorofu island in Japan, on August. 22, despite Tokyo’s repeated requests for him to desist.
Russian media reports said Far East Development Minister Alexander Galushka and Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Trutnev are accompanying Medvedev.
“Japan has made it clear that it opposes the universally accepted understanding on the consequences of World War II even when the 70th anniversary of the war’s end, which is important for the global community, was approaching”, the statement says.
But since mid-July, the Kremlin has orchestrated a series of “provocative actions”, said a senior Foreign Ministry official. “This is how it is and how it will be”, he said, as quoted by Russian agencies.
He and the forum participants took selfies and unfurled a giant Russian flag on the island’s shore for a group picture to mark Russia’s flag day, according to Medvedev’s Instagram account.
Medvedev said it was incorrect to think the government was increasing its control over exporters’ foreign currency sales.
The cosmodrome is created to ease Russia’s dependence on space launches in Baikonur, in Kazakhstan.
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Russian Federation ordered a quicker buildup of military facilities in the disputed islands in June, following comments by Putin in April that he was ready to discuss the issue, while blaming Japan for a lack of dialogue.
