Russia-Japan territorial dispute cannot be solved "in one go": Kremlin

The long-standing territorial dispute between Russia and Japan cannot be solved "in one go," the Kremlin said Tuesday.

Before coming closer to any solution, there will be rounds of painstaking and complex talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's two-day visit to Japan on Thursday and Friday.

Peskov said Putin would come to Japan "with a bunch of concrete topics on social and economic cooperation between the two countries."

Russia and Japan have not signed a peace treaty since the end of World War II due to a territory row over four small islands in the Pacific -- the Southern Kurils called by Russia and the Northern Territories called by Japan.

Peskov noted that Putin has expressed readiness to discuss the issue of the disputed islands in an interview with Japanese media.

Moscow has the political will to develop relations with Tokyo in all possible areas, thus creating a solid foundation and an appropriate atmosphere, which will help reach a decision on this complex issue, Peskov said.

But he urged that the entire agenda of Putin's visit should not be reduced to the discussion of the territorial issue, since it would be "wrong, short-sighted and could negatively affect the whole discussion of this problem." Endi