MOSCOW. Dec 2 (Interfax) - Moscow is not against Japanese leaders admiring the beauty of the Southern Kurils from their territory.
"We are certainly aware of the intentions of the Japanese prime minister and foreign minister to visit an area in the northeastern part of the island of Hokkaido in the near future and, as was announced, to conduct from there a visual inspection of the Southern Kuril Island," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexei Sazonov said at a briefing in Moscow on Thursday.
"Certainly, we have no objections to Japanese politicians being able to admire the beauty of our stunning landscapes from a distance of their territory," the Russian diplomat said.