Japan, Russia to hold talks on territorial disputes

The Japanese government said Friday that it will hold a working-level consultation with Russia in Moscow Aug 19 on territorial disputes. The talks will involve vice foreign ministers.

The meeting will be attended by Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama and his Russian counterpart Igor Morgulov, following the agreement between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin in April to restart the long- stalled territorial talks, reported Xinhua citing Japan's foreign ministry.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the day that the meeting would discuss bilateral ties and international affairs, such as a possible peace treaty between Japan and Russia, as well as energy issues.

Japan and Russia have territorial disputes over four islands north off Japan's Hokkaido, known as the South Kuril Islands in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan, and the issue has prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty since the end of World War II.

Japan and Russia would plan a one-on-one meeting between Abe and Putin on the occasion of a summit of the Group of 20 in St. Petersburg in Russia Sep 5 and 6, local media said.