Japan deplores visit of Russian defense minister to Kuril Islands
13:45 04/02/2011 TOKYO, February 4 (RIA Novosti) - Japan has expressed its regret over a visit by Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov to the disputed Kuril Islands on Friday, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported.
Serdyukov visited the south Kuril Islands to inspect Russian troops deployed on Iturup, Kunashir and Shikotan islands.
"At a time of calls to improve Russian-Japanese relations, this current visit is like having cold water poured on us," Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara said.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry has also summoned the Russian Ambassador, Mikhail Bely, to discuss the issue.
Last month Maehara said he planned to pay a visit to Moscow in February in a bid to tone down Russia's stance on the disputed South Kuril Islands.
Both Japan and Russia have laid claims to the islands since they were annexed by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. The dispute has prevented the two countries signing a peace treaty to formally end hostilities.
Tensions between Japan and Russia reached new heights after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Kunashir, the second-largest of the four islands, last November. Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the visit was "very regrettable."
Japan fired its ambassador to Russia for failure to swiftly inform Tokyo about the visit. Medvedev expressed regret that his visit led to the Japanese ambassador's recall.
Japan also voiced concerns over the visits of Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov and a Russian defense ministry commission led by Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov in December and January respectively.
Tokyo considers the visits as a sign of Russia's strengthened stance on the Kuril Islands.
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