The Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan plans to meet the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev later this month, amid a territorial¹ dispute.

日本首相菅直人本月晚些时候将要借鉴俄罗斯总统梅德韦杰夫，解决双方的领土争议问题。

The dispute over the islands has been going on since the end of World War II

Japan's chief spokespersion Yoshito Sengoku said he believed the meeting at an Asia Pacific summit would go ahead.

This is despite the sudden flaring² of a long-standing row between Japan and Russia over the Kuril Islands.

Mr Medvedev visited one of the four disputed islands on Monday, a move Japan said was "regrettable".

The government says it is considering whether any further measures need to be taken over the visit.

It summoned（传唤，召集） Russia's ambassador to Tokyo on Monday to express displeasure at the visit.

Summitry

The summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation set for 13-14 November in Japan may offer a chance for talks however.

"I believe the bilateral³ meeting（双边会谈） will be held," Mr Sengoku said.

The Japanese Economic Minister Banri Kaieda told reporters he was concerned about possible economic repercussions⁴（反响，影响） of the row with Russia, over islands located in rich fishing grounds.

"Japan and Russia have deep ties when it comes to energy and natural resources development," Mr Kaieda said.

"I am worried about the impact on economic relations from the Russian president's visit to the Northern Territories," he said, using the Japanese name for what Russia calls the Southern Kuriles.

Mr Medvedev met local residents in Kunashir, the second-largest of the four islands, and pledged more investment for the region.

Russia called Japan's reaction to the visit "unacceptable".

Russia took control of the islands at the end of World War II; before then, about 17,000 Japanese residents lived in the Kurils.

Mr Medvedev is the first Russian leader to set foot on the islands.
 
Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara warned that the visit would "hurt the feelings of the Japanese people".

But Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov countered: "It is our land and the Russian president visited Russian land."

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

The islands have rich fishing grounds, mineral deposits and possibly oil and gas reserves.

Mr Medvedev's visit came with Japan locked in a separate territorial dispute with another of its powerful neighbours.