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Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev visits the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk fish factory on the island of Kunashir, part of the Southern Kuriles Islands chain, July 3, 2012. Medvedev on Tuesday landed on a remote island chain seized from Japan by the Soviet Union at the end of World War Two, prompting protests from Tokyo which lays claim to the windswept archipelago. Medvedev's trip to the disputed islands in Russia's Far East - known as the Southern Kuriles in Russia but as the Northern Territories in Japan - saw Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summon Russia's envoy to complain. Reuters/Dmitry Astakhov/RIA Novosti/Pool

Japan has said Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to the Kuril Islands is unacceptable. The Russian prime minister confirmed on Aug. 17 that he would visit a youth forum organised by the Russian government at the disputed Northern Territories.

According to Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, the visit is “unacceptable.” "If the visit by Prime Minister Medvedev takes place, it will be out of line with Japan’s position on the issue of four northern islands, and will hurt the feelings of Japanese citizens," TASS quoted Suga, "Japan will make efforts at all levels to prevent the visit from taking place."

Soviet forces annexed the disputed islands, called the Northern Territories by Japan, after the end of WWII. While the islands have been under the Russian administration ever since, Japan claims it as its own territory.

Interfax news agency earlier reported the Russian PM confirmed his visit to Etorofu island on Aug. 24 as he used the Russian name for the island chain. He expressed his desire to “drop by” there.

This won’t be, however, the first visit to the Northern Territories for the Russian prime minister. He visited Kunashiri island in 2010 when he was the president of Russia. Medvedev visited the island against in 2012 when he was the prime minister of the country.

Japan has asked Russia to cancel Medvedev’s tour as it argues the visit will complicate political equations. Japan is working on inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin to Tokyo later in 2015 to talk about territorial issues.

Soon after the announcement on July 23 about Medvedev’s plans on visiting the Northern Territory, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida conveyed a request via the Japanese embassy in Moscow, asking the Russian PM to cancel the trip.

Natalya Timakova, a spokeswoman for the Russian PM, reacted to Kishida’s statement and said Medvedev did not “need recommendations from outside” to plan his trips “across the country’s territory.” Russia’s Foreign Ministry made it clear on Aug. 14 that Russia would plan trips to the Kuril islands no matter what Tokyo thought about it.

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