TOKYO, October 5. /TASS/. Japan will continue to follow its course to "resolve the territorial issue" and conclude a peace treaty with Russia despite the current difficult state of bilateral relations, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in her policy speech opening the parliamentary session.

"We will maintain the government’s course of resolving the territorial issue and concluding a peace treaty," Takaichi noted, once again criticizing Russia’s actions in Ukraine. She added that "Northern Territories," as Japan calls the southern part of the Kuril Islands, "are historically and from the standpoint of international law the inherent territories of Japan."

Russia and Japan have been negotiating a post-World War II peace treaty since the mid-20th century. The main stumbling block is the issue of ownership of the South Kuril Islands. After the end of World War II, all Kuril Islands were incorporated into the Soviet Union. However, Japan has claimed the Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan islands and a group of small uninhabited islands as its own. The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly emphasized that Russia’s sovereignty over these territories, which is established under international law, is beyond doubt.

On October 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the plenary session of the 23rd meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club that Moscow seeks good and neighborly relations with Tokyo. According to the president, both countries have areas of mutual interest. However, Russia’s approach to ties with Japan has not changed, whereas Tokyo’s attitude toward Moscow has, Putin said, emphasizing that Japan had imposed sanctions on Russia.