Russia on Wednesday lodged a protest with Japan over recent remarks by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other senior Japanese officials about disputed islands off Hokkaido, saying they are "distorting" agreements by the two countries' leaders.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov summoned Japan's ambassador to Russia, Toyohisa Kozuki, to the Russian Foreign Ministry and told him that recent statements are distorting the essence of agreements between Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The protest came after Abe at a news conference last week spoke of the need to convince Russian residents of the islands that the sovereignty of their homes will change and that their lives will improve by living alongside Japanese people.