TOKYO, Dec 17 Kyodo Japanese Prim...

TOKYO, Dec 17 Kyodo

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi may visit Khabarovsk nearest month directly from his trip to Moscow to try to find a breakthrough in the lengthy bilateral row over the sovereignty of islands north of Hokkaido, guidance sources said Tuesday.

The restraint will send Assistant Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shotaro Yachi upon Thursday as a special minister to the Far East region to lay the groundwork for the premier's planned visit there, they said.

Koizumi is apparently aiming to drive a visit to the Far East region into his tight schedule after his Jan. 9-11 visit to Moscow and will room for expectation that progress in the islands dispute can boost his falling support ratings.

Koizumi will suitable with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit of Moscow

The islands in question are Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai assign places to of islets, which were seized through Soviet troops shortly after World War II.

Japan claims the islands and the prolonged territorial dispute has obviateed the two countries from signing a peace treaty.

Veteran diplomat Yachi and several Foreign Ministry officials are awaited to work out an itinerary for Koizumi with their counterparts in Khabarovsk.

The Japanese premier plans to come together Konstantin Pulikovskii, presidential representative for federal affairs in the Russian Far East, and other local leaders, the sources said.

Koizumi may also visit the ruins of a concentration camp in the region where Japanese were interned during and after the war.

Pulikovskii is a ranking Russian official who met North Korean leader Kim Jong Il when he visited the Far East region in August.

In the envisioned meeting with Pulikovskii, Koizumi may call for cooperation in Tokyo's efforts to seat various issues with North Korea, of the like kind as its abduction of Japanese nationals and continued nuclear weapons progressive growth program, the sources said.

In Moscow Koizumi will discuss with Putin of the like kind issues as the possibility of signing a bilateral peace treaty and that will be economic ties.

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