Russia to strip Japan of right to fish near Kuril Islands - Deputy PM Trutnev

VLADIVOSTOK. June 10 (Interfax) - Russia will strip Japan of the right to fish in waters near the Kuril Islands, Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Envoy to the Far East Federal District Yury Trutnev said.

"In actual fact, we have already restricted their right [to fish in waters near the Kuril Islands] through their own efforts. They refused to pay for quotas to fish near the Kuril Islands. Consequently, they will lose this right," Trutnev told reporters in Vladivostok.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said earlier that Moscow was suspending the Russian-Japanese agreement on cooperation in harvesting marine living resources.

The Japanese government, in turn, said that it intends to continue consultations with Russia on the aforementioned agreement in order to enable fishermen to work safely in accordance with this document.