Japan and Russia on Wednesday held talks aimed at resolving a territorial dispute dating back to World War II, which has prevented the neighbours from signing a peace treaty formally ending wartime hostilities.
The two countries have diplomatic relations but ties have been strained by a dispute over four islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories and in Russia as part of the Kuril Islands.
Chikahito Harada, Japan’s special envoy for Japan-Russia relations, and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov met in Tokyo for the one-day meeting.
“We’re going to tackle this issue in a new way to break the deadlock that has lasted until now,” Harada said, according to Jiji Press news agency. He did not elaborate.