Medvedev visit to Kuril Islands stokes Japan row

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has arrived in the Kurils, defying Japan's warnings not to visit the disputed islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan immediately described Mr Medvedev's visit to Kunashir Island as "regrettable".

Earlier, Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov warned that Mr Medvedev was free to visit any Russian region he chose.

The islands have been under Moscow's control since the end of World War II.

The islands are known in Russia as the Southern Kurils. Japan calls them the Northern Territories.

The Jiji news agency quoted a senior Japanese foreign ministry official as saying the Russian ambassador would be summoned in protest at the visit.

'Hurt feelings'

On Monday, Mr Medvedev became the first Russian leader to set foot on the Kuril Islands.

In Kunashir, he is expected to meet local residents and visit construction sites.

His visit comes shortly before his planned trip to Japan for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meeting in mid-November.

In Tokyo, Prime Minister Kan reiterated Japan's stance on the four Kuril Islands.

"Those four northern islands are part of our country's territory, so the president's visit is very regrettable," he said.

Separately, Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara warned that any such visit would "hurt the feelings of the Japanese people".

The territorial dispute has strained relations between Tokyo and Moscow ever since World War II, preventing the signing of a formal peace treaty.