Tokyo: Japan's ambassador to Russia, Masaharu Kono is unlikely to return to Moscow before the end of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, due in Yokohama November 13-14, Kyodo news agency said, quoting.
The Chief Secretary of the Japanese cabinet of ministers, Yoshito Sengoku yesterday declined to specify the dates of the Ambassador's possible return to Moscow, telling reporters the issue was far from settled.
He also refused to comment on Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's notification that President Dmitry Medvedev might visit other islands of the Lesser Kurile Ridge, saying there was no subject for a detailed commentary in the reports on Lavrov's words.
Tokyo voiced official protests to Russia over Medvedev's visit to the Southern Kurile isles earlier this month, as Japan believes the islands belong to it.
The government also said it was considering retaliatory measures for the visit.
One of them was a provisional recalling of Ambassador Kono from Moscow.
PTI
First Published: Friday, November 05, 2010, 13:31