[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a meeting with former islanders of the Northern Territories, at the Prime Minister's Official Residence.

The Prime Minister said in his address,

“I want to express my gratitude to all of you for coming to Tokyo today.

Based on the policy that the Northern Territories are inherent territories of Japan and of resolving the issue of the attribution of the four Northern Islands and concluding a peace treaty, we have been conducting negotiations over a long period with Russia, formerly the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, this issue has not been resolved over a period of 70 years. We have not yet resolved the issue of the attribution of the four Northern Islands, still face territorial issues, and have not yet concluded a peace treaty. This is an unnatural state of affairs.

I have invited President Putin of the Russian Federation, to my hometown of Nagato City on December 15 and 16 of this week. We will hold a summit meeting there. We will also hold a summit meeting in Tokyo. During these events, I hope to exert every effort over a long period of time without even a moment’s rest to advance even one step closer to the resolution of the Northern Territories issue.

I believe that among the former islanders, there is the strong hope that this problem will be resolved, no matter what it takes, during your generation while you are still alive and full of energy. Today, Mrs. Matsubara brought a portrait of her deceased husband to this meeting. Given that people are passing away, one by one, I want to approach this summit meeting with the determination to bring this issue to a close during my generation.

Today I have arranged this opportunity to hear your opinions prior to the summit meetings. I request that you please provide us with your frank opinions. Thank you very much.”