Japanese PM says considering visit to Kuril Islands

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan

November 17, 2010 (KATAKAMI / RIA NOVOSTI) --- Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said on Wednesday that a possible visit to the disputed Kuril Islands, called the Northern Territories by Japan, deserved careful consideration.

"Given how important the prime minister's visit [to the islands] is, it must be considered seriously. At the moment I do not have any concrete plans," Kan said in a speech to the Japanese parliament.

Earlier this month, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev aggravated a long-standing dispute over four of the islands, by becoming the first Russian or Soviet leader to visit one of them.

Both countries have laid claims to the islands since they were occupied by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II and the dispute has prevented them from signing a peace treaty to formally end wartime hostilities.

The Japanese premier reiterated Japan's stance on the status of the islands.

"Japan's principal position that the Northern Territories are part of our country and that the territorial dispute must be resolved through the signing of a peace treaty, has not changed," he said.

Last week Medvedev met with Kan during the APEC summit in the Japanese city of Yokohama. Medvedev invited Kan to visit "any part of Russia, including the Far East."

Kan said he "wanted to develop friendly relations between Russia and Japan on a basis of trust, as between two partners."

TOKYO, November 17

Dmitry Medvedev met with Naoto Kan on the sidelines of the APEC Summit

Russian - Japanese Talks

November 13, 2010 (KATAKAMI / KREMLIN.RU) --- The leaders of Russia and Japan stated their commitment to developing a dialogue based on trust between the two countries. 

One of the main subjects under discussion was the Kuril Islands." to visit any Russian region, including the Far East, and the Japanese Prime Minister accepted the invitation.


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PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN NAOTO KAN (retranslated): Mr President, as you pointed out, the Asia-Pacific region is the centre of global economic development. The region has the highest economic growth rate in the world.

I would like to deepen the friendly relations based on partnership and trust between Japan and Russia and will make every effort to achieve this aim. This is our second meeting and I hope that today’s talks will mark the beginning of a full-scale dialogue between us based on mutual trust.

PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA DMITRY MEDVEDEV : Mr Prime Minister, first of all, I would like to thank you once again for the excellent organisation of the APEC Summit. This is indeed our second meeting and I hope that during these talks and in the course of other contacts we will lay the foundation for a dialogue based on trust between our states. (*)

Medvedev to meet with Japanese leader during APEC summit

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev walks onto the podium, in front of Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan, prior to a family photo session at the G20 Summit in Seoul November 12, 2010. The G20 will agree to setting vague "indicative guidelines" for measuring global imbalances and hammer out the details next year, G20 sources said on Friday, effectively calling a timeout to let tempers cool after heated debate over currencies.(Getty Images / REUTERS/Yonhap/Pool )

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November 12, 2010 (KATAKAMI / RIA NOVOSTI) --- Despite the recent diplomatic spat between Moscow and Tokyo, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will meet with the Japanese premier during the forthcoming APEC summit, Medvedev's spokeswoman confirmed on Friday.

The Russian leader is to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to be held on November 13-14 in Yokohama. Kan said last week he was not sure if the meeting with Medvedev would go ahead.

"The Japanese side traditionally raises the issue of the Kuril Islands at such meetings. Russia's position remains unchanged," Natalya Timakova said.

A long-standing territorial dispute between Moscow and Tokyo over the Kuril Islands, called the Northern Territories by Japan, was aggravated by a recent visit by Medvedev to one of the islands. Tokyo has described the visit, the first trip by a Russian president to the disputed islands, as "regrettable," while Moscow argued it is up to the Russian authorities to decide on their trips inside the country.

Following the row sparked by Medvedev's visit, Japan temporarily recalled its ambassador from Russia. The ambassador was to return to Moscow on Sunday as the Japanese government decided to refrain from further actions of protest.

SEOUL, November 12 (RIA Novosti)

Russian President thanks Japan PM for invitation to APEC summit

File photo : Prime Minister of Japan Naoto Kan ( left) with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (June 26, 2010)

November 04, 2010 (KATAKAMI / KREMLIN.RU) --- President Dmitry Medvedev sent a response message to Prime Minister of Japan Naoto Kan thanking him for the invitation to take part in the 18^th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Yokohama on November 13–14, 2010.

The Russian President’s message reads, in part:

“I fully share the belief in APEC’s importance in expanding multilateral political and economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region as part of the effort to find effective responses to modern challenges.

I intend to actively participate in discussions on the main theme of Japan’s presidency, Change and Action. I hope that the forum will prompt its participants to adopt a set of joint measures to overcome the effects of the global financial crisis and to develop an optimal model of APEC region’s development in the post-crisis period with an emphasis on economic and social security.

I am confident that the summit will make a tangible contribution to sustainable growth of the economies participating in the forum.”


(MS)

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan offers condolences over Indonesian disasters

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan extended deep condolences over consecutive natural disasters which had hit Indonesia in the past few weeks, thus causing a big number of casualties on the people. (Photo by JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty Images)

October 29, 2010 Jakarta (KATAKAMI / ANTARA News) - Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan extended deep condolences over consecutive natural disasters which had hit Indonesia in the past few weeks, thus causing a big number of casualties on the people.

Indonesia, this month, was already hit by three devastating disasters of Wasior flash flood in West Papua, followed by an earthquake-triggered tsunami in Mentawai district, West Sumatra, then volcanic eruption in less than 24 hours in Central Java.

"I really feel sad when hearing many victims were killed and many of residents in the affected areas are in a state of difficulty resulting from quake happening on October 25, in Mentawai and eruption of Mount Merapi in Central Java which had been started on October 26, a release from the Japanese embassy made available to ANTARA said here on Thursday.

The Japanese Prime Minister also said his country was available to provide such maximal aid to the families of the disaster.

In addition, Australia was reported to provide up to $1 million of emergency assistance to help Indonesia in the wake of two devastating disasters, according to the Australian Embassy here in its wesite on Thursday.

Australia regretted the loss of life and damaged caused by the tsunami and earthquake in Mentawai and the volcanic eruption on Mount Merapi.

Australia`s Charge d`Affaires to Indonesia Paul Robilliard said that Australia stands ready to provide further assistance should Indonesia require additional support and is monitoring the situation closely.

"Australia is always keen to assist Indonesia in times of need. We are working with our Indonesian counterparts to quickly and precisely respond to these disasters," Robilliard said.

Australia`s initial support package will consist of funding to SurdAid for assessment, relief and recovery activities to the Mentawai Islands, the Indonesian community organisations Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah to help local communities recover following the eruption, and the Indonesian Red Cross for humanitarian assistance in the Mentawai Islands and Mount Merapi area.

On 26 October 2010 Indonesia reported that a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the Mentawai Islands, shortly followed by a tsunami. On the next day, a volcanic eruption on Mount Merapi occurred near Yogyakarta. These disasters caused a number of deaths and injuries.