Territorial dispute to be focus of Russia-Japan talks

BEIJING - Disputed islands will likely be a focus of Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara's talks with his Russian counterpart in Moscow on Friday, ahead of which both sides have stepped up their rhetoric on sovereignty in the past days.

Tokyo's claim over the disputed islands remains "absolutely unwavering" despite Russia's decision to boost its military presence in the territory, Maehara told reporters on Thursday, hours before leaving for a four-day visit to Moscow.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday that Russia should deploy modern weaponry to ensure the security of the islands. He infuriated Japan in November by making the first visit by a Russian leader to one of the islands.