Naoto Kan might raise territorial problem at possible talks in Russia

TOKYO, February 16 (Itar-Tass) - Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan
hopes to visit Russia this year despite the current setback in bilateral
relations, Naoto Kan declared at the Lower House of the Japanese
parliament on Wednesday. The prime minister said he was confident that the Russian invitation remains in force yet.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev invited the Japanese prime minister to visit Russia at their meeting held in the framework of the APEC forum in Yokohama last November. If the visit takes place we will have talks on the territorial problem and a number of economic issues, the prime minister said.
Commenting on a recent visit to Moscow paid by Japanese Foreign
Minister Seiji Maehara and his talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei
Lavrov, Kan said that stemming from the problems discussed by the two
foreign ministers he was seriously thinking about the time and form of his possible visit to Russia.