Japan will resume a program for people of Japanese descent living in Russia's Far Eastern region of Sakhalin to visit the country for the first time in five years.

About 50 people and their relatives are expected to come to Japan in three groups in September.

Japan ruled southern Sakhalin until the end of World War Two. Dozens of Japanese residents still live there. The welfare ministry has been supporting their visits.

But direct flights between Japan and Russia were scrapped due to the coronavirus pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The program was suspended, as the participants would have needed to go on longer indirect flights, which would be physically demanding for elderly people.

The last visit was in 2019.

The program will resume after shorter flights connecting Russia's Far East and the Chinese capital of Beijing become available.

The ministry commissions the program to the Japan-Sakhalin Association. Its chief, Saito Hiromi, says the Sakhalin residents have been waiting for a chance to come to Japan to visit their ancestors' graves.

She says the association will continue supporting them.