Catherine Plesnikova. The Minister for foreign Affairs of Japan Fumio Kishida, who flew in on Sunday to the Russian Federation on a working visit, hopes to discuss the problem of " Northern territories ", As in Tokyo called the South Kuril Islands, and the resumption of a dialogue between 2 countries on the conclusion of a peace Treaty.

"dialogues with (the head of the Ministry of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey) Lavrov will be the first for one year and 7 months and we would like to discuss the problem of" Northern territories ". Although I expect difficult negotiations, I expect to discover ways to resume dialogue on a peace Treaty " - quotes TV channel message Kisida before departure.

The head of the Japanese foreign Minister also drew attention that he wished that his journey was the next step for " the visit of President (Vladimir) Putin to Japan ".

The by Fumio Kishida visit to the capital of Russia will be held from 20 to 22 September. As emphasized in the press release of the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Japan, will be held on September 21, his dialogues with Sergey Lavrov, during which it is expected to discuss a wide range of international issues, among them, the problems of the Northern territories and the situation in Ukraine. September 22, Kishida will participate in the XI meeting of the Russian-Japanese intergovernmental Council on trade and economic issues.

the Ministry of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, for its part, stresses that progress in the issue of signing a peace Treaty " is impossible without recognition of Japan's postwar historical realities ". The Russian foreign Ministry also expects that " the dialogues in the capital of Russia will give the necessary impetus to mutual efforts to overcome the current difficult situation in bilateral relations, the atmosphere of which was seriously damaged at the accession of Tokyo to the anti-Russian sanctions by some Western countries on the situation in Ukraine."

Tokyo's claim to the Islands of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and the Habomai archipelago. The return of the Islands to Tokyo made it a condition of signing a peace Treaty with Moscow, which was never signed after the Second world war. Russia's position is that the southern Kuril Islands became part of the USSR following world war I and the Russian sovereignty over them, having international legal formalization, can not be questioned.

sections: Politics