Russia has denied entry to the disputed islands it holds off Hokkaido to a Japanese mayor in retaliation for sanctions Japan imposed on it for annexing Ukraine, diplomatic sources say.
Nemuro Mayor Shunsuke Hasegawa was unable to join a five-day study tour through July 1 to assess the potential for joint economic development of the islands, which are claimed by Tokyo, the sources said Saturday.
Russia's denial was based on its territorial claim, which is theoretically unacceptable to Tokyo, which claims Russia "illegally" occupied the four isles after Japan's surrender in World War II. Japan has called for the return of the islands for decades.