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A map showing the de-facto Kuril Island border over time between Japan and Russia. The currently disputed islands fall between the lines marked 1945 and 1855.

During a visit to the Far East, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev Tuesday traveled to Kunashir island, inflaming a long-standing territorial dispute with Japan over the Kuril Islands.

Medvedev took anunflinching tone before the visit, saying that “the practice ofvisiting theislands bythe Russian leadership will continue,” RIA-Novosti reported.

Theislands, surrounded byrich fishing grounds believed tohave oil, natural gas andmineral deposits, were seized bySoviet troops inthe closing days ofWorld War II, but Japan says they are part ofits territory.

“I would like toemphasize that I consider it very important that members ofthe government visit theKurils. This is animportant part ofthe Sakhalin region andsimply animportant part ofour Russian lands,” Medvedev said.

It has been earlier reported that theprime minister’s planned trip tothe Kuril Islands would be postponed due toweather conditions, but conditions improved enough toallow thegovernment delegation tofly tothe island.

“Life inSakhalin is such that it changes very quickly. Andit’s alesson fora lot ofpeople who are here with me today because I just said that we would not go, but now we have theopportunity tovisit theKurils. I think this is avery important part ofour program,” Medvedev said.

Medvedev’s visit tofar eastern regions will last until Thursday.

InNovember 2010 Dmitry Medvedev became thefirst Russian president tovisit theislands, causing astrong outcry fromthe Japanese government.

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