Japan's prime minister apologises for inappropriate remarks about Kurils

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has apologized in parliament for the inappropriate approving remarks made by two Japanese officials regarding the idea of jointly organizing the burial of nuclear waste with Russia on the Southern Kuril Islands, on the condition that they be transferred from Russia to Japan.

"Such remarks should not have been made. I believe there was negligence or arrogance involved. As a responsible government official, I offer my apologies," Ishiba said in response to a question from Hiroshi Kamiya, a member of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Yoji Muto, as well as the Minister for Okinawa and "Northern Territories" Affairs (Japan’s term for Russia’s Southern Kuril Islands), Yoshitaka Ito, also admitted they were surprised when they heard about these comments.

Hiroshi Kamiya, who posed the question, urged the government to prevent such remarks from being made by officials in the future, as they hurt former Japanese residents of the Kurils.

He also expressed concern that these statements could be perceived as the wrong signal and negatively impact foreign policy towards Russia.

By Khagan Isayev