TOKYO - RUSSIAN President Dmitry Medvedev has invited Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso to visit Sakhalin island next month for talks on 'all issues' between the two nations, Japanese officials said.

In a 15-minute phone call, Mr Aso said he would consider the proposed meeting, as the two countries have so far made little progress over a territorial dispute, the Japanese foreign ministry said late on Saturday.

Mr Medvedev invited Mr Aso for a ceremony at the Sakhalin II project which has just started liquefied natural gas production and will export to Japan.

Mr Aso said he regarded the energy project as an example of bilateral cooperation and would respond later on whether he would participate in the ceremony, the foreign ministry said.

Mr Aso and Mr Medvedev met last year on the sidelines of a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders in Lima.

Russia and Japan have never signed a peace treaty to formally end World War II due to Tokyo's claims over four islands which Soviet troops seized in 1945 off Japan's northern coast.

The two countries have previously agreed to launch 'intensive, political dialogue' at leaders' level, including a visit by Russia's powerful Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to Japan this year. -- AFP