Russia prepared to resolve territorial problem with Japan, lawmaker says

TOKYO, May 21. /TASS/. Russia, unlike the Soviet Union, which did not recognize the existence of a territorial dispute with Japan, does recognize it and is ready to seek a compromise solution, coordinator of the State Duma group of deputies for relations with the Japanese parliament Mikhail Slipenchuk said on Thursday. He was speaking at the bilateral forum under way in Tokyo. "Politicians in both countries realize that, unlike the USSR, which did not recognize the existence of this problem, Russia does recognize it and is ready to seek a compromise solution," he said. Politicians will mull over the issue for a long time, but the two countries’ economies must not be affected by this." That is why it’s very important to hold such events as the forum titled "Russia-Japan: Areas of Common Interest," the lawmaker noted. He said he hoped a solution to this problems would be found sooner or later, since the two peoples had such character traits as patience and perseverance. Read more