Japan, RF to seek mutually acceptable solution to territory issue

MOSCOW (Itar-Tass) - Japan and Russia confirmed the
readiness of the countries to search for a mutually acceptable solution to
the territorial problem and to negotiate in the calm way, Japanese Foreign
Minister Seiji Maehara said after the negotiations with his Russian
counterpart Sergei Lavrov here on Friday.
"The territorial problem remains unsettled in our relations. Our
positions are different on this problem. Under the reached agreements and
the principles of lawfulness and justice the countries should seek for
mutually acceptable solutions," the Japanese minister said.
"We should have negotiations on this issue in the calm way. We
confirmed it today," Maehara said with confidence.
The position of the Japanese government is that "the northern
territories are original Japanese territories in terms of history and the view recognized on the international scene," he recalled.