Asia Bizz: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has criticized Japan over their move towards the disputed islands with China, and has called it utterly unacceptable. The Southern Kuril islands have always been a disputed region between China and Japan, and Japan has always shown its claim over this region. These discussions have taken place when Japan’s FM Seiji Maehara was on a visit to Moscow, Russia.
Russia has also termed these talks as quite ‘timely’, but Japan on the other hand expected this to take place in a more politically enhanced environment. Sergei was quite stern in his words and said in an interview, “The recent backdrop was attributed to a number of (Japan’s) unacceptable actions, including the so-called ‘Northern Territories Day'”
Japan’s FM was happy and impressed that Russia had formal talks with Japan and Maehara insisted, China and Japan should settle out these territorial disputes in such a manner that it should be acceptable to both the nations.
