MOSCOW, May 21 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow lamented on Thursday remarks by the Japanese prime minister on the "ongoing occupation" of the Southern Kuril islands by Russia.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said Taro Aso's remarks "are at odds with Tokyo's declared intention to search for a mutually acceptable solution" to the territorial dispute with Russia over the islands.

He said Russia hoped that the Japanese leadership would in the future "practice political correctness in commenting on sensitive and complex issues in Russian-Japanese relations."

Russia and Japan have yet to sign a formal treaty ending World War II hostilities, due to the dispute over the four South Kuril Islands, former Japanese territory annexed by the Soviet Union after the war.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said last week that Moscow would only sign a formal peace treaty with Tokyo on terms that meet Russia's interests.