Tokyo ( CNN ) -- The Japanese government is in the final stages of negotiations to bring a hotly disputed set of small islands in the East China Sea under public ownership , Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said Friday , stressing his country 's claims of sovereignty . The islands are at the heart of a bitter diplomatic argument between Japan and China that has resulted in occasionally violent acts of public protest . The uninhabited islands , known in Japan as Senkaku and in China as Diaoyu , are privately owned by a Japanese family . A public initiative begun in April by the outspoken governor of Tokyo , Shintaro Ishihara , to raise money to acquire the islands for the city authorities has set off a new cycle of tensions between Japan and China over which country has sovereignty over them . China talks tough in Japan island dispute . Reports in the Japanese news media this week suggested the Japanese authorities had agreed a 2.05-billion-yen ( $ 26.1-million ) deal to buy the islands from the private owners . In an interview with CNN on Friday , Noda declined to discuss the size of the sum likely to be paid for the islands , which are also claimed by Taiwan , because of the sensitivity of the matter . But he said the talks were in their `` final stages , '' and he remained unequivocal about which country the islands belong to . `` The Senkaku Islands are an inherent part of Japanese territory , historically as well as under international law , so there 's no territorial claim issue between the two countries , '' he said . `` Right now , it is the ownership issue -- whether the individual owns these islands , or the Tokyo metropolitan government or the state . And I think we have to clearly and solidly explain these stances to the Chinese side . '' His comments are unlikely to please Beijing , which issued the latest of its angry statements on the matter on Wednesday . `` I want to emphasize again that any unilateral actions taken by the Japanese regarding the Diaoyu Islands are illegal and invalid , '' said Hong Lei , a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman . `` We are closely monitoring the developments and will take necessary measures to defend our territorial sovereignty , '' Hong said . Why Asia is arguing over its islands . Noda said Friday that the purpose of the government 's planned acquisition `` is to maintain those islands in a peaceful and stable manner . '' The Chinese Foreign Ministry did n't immediately respond Friday to a request for comment on the matter . The islands , located between Taiwan and Okinawa , sit among popular fishing waters and are also believed to be rich in oil resources . Animosity between China and Japan over the islands runs deep . They have come to represent what many Chinese people see as unfinished business : redressing the impact of the Japanese occupation of large swathes of eastern China during the 1930s and 1940s . China says its claim extends back hundreds of years . Japan says they saw no trace of Chinese control of the islands in an 1885 survey , so formally recognized them as Japanese sovereign territory in 1895 . Japan then sold the islands in 1932 to descendants of the original settlers . The Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in 1945 only served to cloud the issue further . The islands were administered by the U.S. occupation force after the war . But in 1972 , Washington returned them to Japan as part of its withdrawal from Okinawa . In the interview Friday , Noda also addressed recent difficulties Japan 's relationship with another of its neighbors : South Korea . Tokyo dispatches team to survey islands at center of tensions . He insisted on Japanese sovereignty over a small group of islands in the Sea of Japan that South Korea calls Dokdo and that Japan claims as Takeshima . South Korean President Lee Myung-bak visited the islands last month , prompting Japan to recall its ambassador to Seoul and warn that it will take the issue to the International Court of Justice -- a proposal rejected by Seoul . Noda said he hoped Seoul `` will deal with this issue based on the principles of law and justice , but if they will not jointly refer this matter to the ICJ , we will have to make preparations to do it unilaterally . '' Japan has long claimed the islets as its territory , but Seoul said all Korean territory was returned after the country won independence from colonial rule by Japan in 1945 . Lee also said in remarks to teachers last month that Japanese Emperor Akihito should make a `` sincere apology '' for the suffering Korean people endured under Japanese colonial rule , suggesting it was necessary before the emperor could visit South Korea . `` First of all , we never requested a visit by our emperor to South Korea , '' Noda said . He added that Tokyo was requesting `` a withdrawal of that statement as well as an apology . '' He said he was `` surprised '' that the relationship with Lee had changed so dramatically in such a short space of time . `` It is quite regrettable , '' he said , before adding that a healthy relationship between the two countries is important for peace and stability in the region , especially with regard to issues like North Korea . Territorial tensions rumble on as Clinton visits Beijing . CNN 's Paula Hancocks reported from Tokyo , and Jethro Mullen from Hong Kong . CNN 's Dayu Zhang and Shao Tian contributed reporting from Beijing .
NEW : Noda says recent tensions with South Korea are `` regrettable '' but not a reason to change the status quo in Japan.'' The islands are privately owned by a Japanese family . The Japanese premier says the government is close to a deal to buy them .