(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-03 22:17

TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Monday he wants to hold frank talks with Russia's new president on the long-standing territorial dispute.

"I hope the new president would respond to Japan's initiative for talks and make efforts to resolve the tough issue," Fukuda was quoted by Japanese media as telling reporters in reference to the disputed islands off Japan's northernmost Hokkaido Prefecture.

Meanwhile, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura also expressed his hope that the dispute could be resolved under the new administration and the Japan-Russia relationship could be lifted to a higher level.

Territorial dispute over the four islands, namely Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan and Habomai, has been a long-standing block in the development of ties between Japan and Russia. The islands are known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia.

The four islands were occupied by Soviet troops after the end of World War II and are currently under Russian control. Japan and Russia signed no peace treaty following the war because of the dispute.