Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced his intention to consider alternative projects in detail in case there is a visa exemption exchange with Russia.
It came at a meeting with Naomichi Suzuki, the governor of the state of Hokkaido.
According to the Kyodo News Agency, during the meeting, Suzuki submitted a petition to the Prime Minister of Japan for an early settlement of the Northern Territories, which in Japan are called the southern islands of the Kuril chain. He also revealed that he has received requests to contact alternative projects for arranging memorials for former South Kuril islanders, especially from ships, due to their inability to visit the graves of their relatives.
“Given the fact that changing visa exemptions has temporarily become impossible, it is necessary to consider alternatives,” the Japanese prime minister quoted the agency as saying.
On March 21, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced its refusal to negotiate a peace agreement with Japan, in response to Tokyo’s unfriendly measures, suspending visa-free travel of Japanese citizens to the South. Kuril Islands, and its departure from communicating with Japan. South on the establishment of joint economic activity in the Kuril Islands.
In late April, the Secretary-General of the Japanese government, Hyokazu Matsuno, announced the decision of the Japanese Cabinet to postpone the exchange of visa exemption with Russia “for the foreseeable future”, which includes visits by Japanese citizens to “Northern regions”. As Kunashir, Shikotan, Iturup and Habomai.
Source: RIA Novosti
Source: Arabic RT
