TOKYO (Sputnik) — Japan is closely monitoring the visits of Russian officials to the southern Kuril Islands in the Russian Far East, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said at a press conference on Tuesday.
"With regard to the visit of the Russian transport minister and other dignitaries in the northern areas, it does not coincide with the position of our country. Regarding the visit of the Transport Minister on September 7, we handed in a protest note. We closely monitor such movements from the Russian side," the Japanese minister said.
Kishida urged Russia to take a "constructive stance" on the matter.
On Monday, Japan's Foreign Ministry claimed that the Russian transport minister's visit to the Kuril Islands was "unacceptable."
Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev also visited Iturup last month.
