Russian Foreign Ministry castigates Tokyo’s move at depicting Southern Kurils as Japanese

Depicting the South Kuril Islands as Japanese on national maps is illegitimate and poisonous for the bilateral relations with Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

"We consider these actions wrongful," she said at a briefing held at the Territoriya Smyslov (Territory of Meanings) National Education Youth Forum.

"Apart from the legal aspect of this issue, there is also an aspect of the atmosphere, which our national institutions are trying to create to resolve the complex existing issues, which is done at the request and consent of the Japanese side," TASS cited her as saying.

The diplomat added that such actions are definitely not favorable for this atmosphere and poison it.