AFP
August 26, 2008 Tuesday 12:58 PM GMT

Japan on Tuesday voiced grave concern over Russia's action to recognise the rebel Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Yasuaki Tanizaki, director general of the Japanese foreign ministry's European bureau, delivered the message to Mikhail Galuzin, charge d'affaires ad interim at the Russian embassy in Japan, the ministry said in a statement.

"Our country is gravely concerned about the move," Tanizaki told Galuzin, according to the statement. "Our country hopes that Russia ... will take responsible actions for the region's stability."

The meeting came after Russia's parliament passed a nonbinding motion calling on President Dmitry Medvedev to support the independence bid by Abkhazia and South Ossetia on Monday.

Later in the day, Medvedev announced that he had signed a decree under which Russia formally recognises the Georgian regions as independent states.