Japanese senior vice minister of the Cabinet Office, to Nemuro, Hokkaido, (disputed Kuril Islands, called the Northern Territories by Japan), Yoshinori Suematsu, has met with the islands' former residents.
On Monday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev became the first Russian president to visit one of the four disputed Kuril Islands. The move triggered an angry response from Tokyo, which called the visit "regrettable" and temporarily recalled its ambassador to Russia for consultations.
"We speak on behalf of Japan," Suematsu said. "We must resolutely declare to Russia, what is our position. I really want the prime minister [of Japan Naoto Kan] to pay a visit [to Hokkaido]."
Elderly Japanese, who lived on the Kuril Islands until 1945, feel unsatisfied with their government.
"Diplomacy of the Japanese government towards Russia is flabby," some of the former residents said. "We feel anger and resentment."
Japan's ambassador to Russia, recalled amid the recent diplomatic spat over the disputed Kuril Islands, will return to Moscow by Sunday noon, the Kyodo news agency said.
The Japanese government has later taken a decision to refrain from further actions of protest.
Both Moscow and Tokyo have laid claim to the Kuril Islands since they were occupied by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. The dispute over the islands has prevented Russia and Japan from signing a peace treaty to formally end World War II hostilities.
TOKYO, November 7 (RIA Novosti)
