(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-04-26 20:30

MOSCOW - Russia is willing to continue negotiations with Japan on a peace treaty, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday at the presidential residence near Moscow.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) and Japan's Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda talk at the presidential residence Novo-Ogaryovo outside Moscow, April 26, 2008. [Agencies]

"I would like to point out that we managed to radically change the character of our relations over the past two to three years," Putin said at a meeting with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.

Russia is willing to continue dialogue on a peace treaty and create conditions for making headway in that sphere, the Russian president said.

Russia and Japan have never signed a peace treaty formally ending World War II due to territorial disputes over four islands.

The four islands, known as the Southern Kurils in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan, were seized by Soviet troops after the end of World War II and are currently under Russian control.