Prime Minister Shinzo Abe listens as Tetsuro Fukuyama, secretary-general of the largest opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, asks questions about the proposed expansion of the acceptance of foreign workers during a House of Councillors Budget Committee session on Nov. 26, 2018. (Mainichi/Masahiro Kawata)

TOKYO -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe renewed his determination in a Diet session on Nov. 26 to settle Japan's territorial dispute with Russia during his tenure.

"I and President (Vladimir) Putin share a strong determination to put an end to the issue instead of postponing a decision on it to future generations," Abe told a House of Representatives Budget Committee session on Nov. 26.

The Japanese and Russian leaders agreed at a recent summit meeting to base their bilateral territorial talks on the Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration of 1956, which states that Habomai and Shikotan -- two of the four Russian held islands -- shall be returned to Japan's sovereignty after the two countries sign a peace treaty.

During the lower house panel session, a legislator pointed out there is a view that the agreement is a retreat from Tokyo's demand for the return of all the four islands called "the Northern Territories."

The prime minister dismissed this thought saying, "Our position to settle the territorial dispute and then sign a peace treaty remains unchanged."

When asked if he thinks the four islands off the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido are illegally occupied by Russia, Prime Minister Abe stopped short of clarifying his view. "There was an occasion when negotiations on the issue were stalled because of questions and answers in the Diet," he said.

Meanwhile, in response to a question about his earlier remark that Japan will not adopt a policy to unlimitedly accept immigrants, Abe explained, "I made the statement to the effect that we'll not adopt a policy that many members of the public are worried we may take."

The prime minister said the government will do its best to make the World Expo 2025 to be held in Osaka an attractive one. "We'd like to hold an expo that will inspire dreams and surprise people all over the world. We'd like to make sure that all of Japan will cooperate in holding the event," he said.

Prime Minister Abe made these comments in response to questions from Toshiro Ino of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Shiori Yamao of the largest opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Hiroshi Ogushi of Mushozoku no kai, a group comprised of independent legislators who belonged to the now-defunct Democratic Party.

(Japanese original by Jun Aoki and Muneyoshi Mitsuda, Political News Department)