PM Ishiba: Japan hopeful to resolve territorial dispute with Russia

The Japanese government will continue to move forward in resolving the territorial dispute with Russia, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said in parliament, Report informs via TASS.

"Japan-Russia relations are in a difficult situation, but our country will continue its course towards resolving territorial issues and signing a peace treaty," Ishiba noted.

Japan and Russia have never come to an agreement over the ownership of the four southern Kuril Islands and therefore have never signed a peace treaty at the end of World War II. Russia currently occupies the islands, but Japan claims them as Japanese territory.