Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday called Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan's latest remarks on a chain of disputed islands "clearly undiplomatic".
"These expressions are clearly undiplomatic," Lavrov said during a joint press conference with his visiting Hungarian counterpart Janos Martonyi.
"They contrast sharply with the respectful, positive tone that was characteristic of the meeting between Prime Minister Naoto Kan and President Dmitry Medvedev in Yokohama last autumn," Russia's top dimplomat said.
Kan on Monday called Medvedev's visit three months ago to the disputed Kuril Islands chain an "unforgivable outrage".