Japan uses stronger language than previously to describe the territorial dispute, underscoring the chilled relations between the two sides since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

2 A Russian woman touches up her lipstick on Kunashir. The dispute over the islands means a peace treaty has never been signed between Russia and Japan to formally end World War II hostilities.

Russia retains de facto control of the territories, and earlier this month landed Su-35S fighter jets on Iturup island, prompting Japan's Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga to send an official note ...

Russia and Japan agreed Friday to hold talks on joint economic development of four islands at the center of a decades-old territorial dispute between the countries.

Japan had warned President Dmitri A. Medvedev that a visit to disputed islands on the border between Japan and Russia would aggravate bilateral relations.

Russia said on Sunday it will not hold annual talks with Japan on renewing a pact that allows Japanese fishermen to operate near disputed islands, saying Japan has taken anti-Russian measures.

The drills were part of a larger, multilateral exercise, Vostok 2022, between Russia, China and other nations near the four southernmost Kuril Islands.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan describes four islands whose ownership it disputes with Moscow as “illegally occupied by Russia” in the latest version of a diplomatic report released Friday, using ...

Japan describes four islands whose ownership it disputes with Moscow as “illegally occupied by Russia” in the latest version of a diplomatic report released Friday, using stronger language to ...