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Delay in signing Russian-Japanese deal has no connection with Medvedev's visit to Kurils (Update 1)

© RIA Novosti / Go to the mediabankDmitry Medvedev's visit to Kurils
Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Kurils - Sputnik International
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The delay in signing a Russian-Japanese economic cooperation deal is not connected with the recent visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to a disputed island in the Kuril Islands chain, Kyodo news agency cited on Friday Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary as saying.

The delay in signing a Russian-Japanese economic cooperation deal is not connected with the recent visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to a disputed island in the Kuril Islands chain, Kyodo news agency cited on Friday Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary as saying.

Yoshito Sengoku denied previous reports that Japan had delayed signing the deal because of Medvedev's visit.

Japan's Economy Minister Akihiro Ohata earlier said that the "Russian president's actions defied the Japanese minds and souls."

The signing of the economic cooperation deal was due to take place at the ongoing Russian-Japanese investment forum in Tokyo.

The Japanese economy minister did not attend the forum. His Russian colleague, Elvira Nabiullina, opened the forum and then hastily left citing urgent domestic affairs.

A long-standing territorial dispute between Moscow and Tokyo over the Kuril Islands, called the Northern Territories by Japan, was aggravated by Medvedev's visit to Kunashir. 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.

Both Moscow and Tokyo have laid claim to the Kuril Islands since they were occupied by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. The dispute over the islands has prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty to formally end World War II hostilities.

TOKYO, November 12 (RIA Novosti) 

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