Japanese Foreign Minister has called for stepping up the peace treaty talks with Russia, the NHK TV channel reported.

"We would like to complete these talks as soon as possible given the old age of the former residents of the four northern islands [which is what Russia’s southern Kuril Islands are called in Japan - TASS]," Taro Kono said delivering a speech in the city of Sapporo on Hokkaido Island where he had arrived after a visit to Moscow.

The Japanese top diplomat emphasized the need to determine various options that would satisfy both parties because otherwise it would be impossible for the two countries’ parliaments to ratify a peace treaty.

Taro Kono and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov held talks in Moscow on May 10, focusing on the peace treaty issue. They said at a joint press conference later that differences remained between Moscow and Tokyo but the parties were ready to continue working on the issue.

The two top diplomats did not disclose the details of their talks, saying they would continue efforts to bring bilateral relations to a new level, which could help in resolving the peace treaty issue.