Russia has given Japan a conditional assurance that it will no longer allow other countries to fish in waters around Russian-held islands claimed by Japan after next year, a senior Japanese government official said.
The assurance is based on the condition that Japan compensate Moscow for lost fishing-fee revenues and help prevent poaching, Yasuo Saito, director general of the Foreign Ministry's European Affairs Bureau, said Tuesday.
Saito unveiled the Russian proposal at a joint meeting of diplomatic and fishery committees of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Tokyo rejected the proposal, saying the idea of compensation is unacceptable, but agreed to try and find a solution that is amenable to both sides, Saito said.
Saito met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov in Moscow on Sept. 10 and 11 to seek a resolution to the fishing dispute, which stems from an agreement reached between Russia and South Korea in December that allows South Korea to fish for saury in waters near the islands.
Russia said it will consider excluding other nations from the disputed area after next year out of consideration for Tokyo's stance over the sovereignty of waters near the islands, Saito said.
Russia is also seeking Japan's cooperation to crack down on imports of crabs and sea urchins poached from the area, he said.