Kremlin declines to comment on reports that Japan would allow US military presence on Kuril Islands
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on reports that Tokyo would allow the U.S. to establish military bases on the Kuril Islands if Japan gains sovereignty over the contested islands, TASS reported.
“I would not in any way comment on the information that has appeared today in a Japanese media outlet because this refers to the content of the confidential talk between the secretaries of the Security Councils of Russia and Japan. We do not disclose the content of such meetings, all the more so in instances when they are of confidential nature," Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.
Last month, Japanese Security Council Secretary Shotaro Yachi reportedly said that Japan did not rule out allowing a U.S. military presence on the islands if Tokyo gained control of them.
The disputed islands of Shikotan, Habomai, Iturup and Kunashir, which Russia calls the Southern Kurils and Japan calls the Northern Territories, has prevented Moscow and Tokyo from adopting a peace treaty to formally end World War Two hostilities.
According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, "The absence of a peace treaty between Russia and Japan is an anachronism left over from the past, and that anachronism should be removed. But how to do that is a difficult question.”
Putin is scheduled to visit Japan on Thursday and Friday, where he will discuss the matter with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The Kuril Islands are expected to be the focal point of the meetings.
According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, “"The president has already said that our country is not only ready but interested in resolving this long-running problem. But we believe this is quite a long process, which requires scrupulous work aimed at building trust."