Shinzo Abe to meet with Vladimir Putin in Sochi
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Russia next week to meet with Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Radio Svoboda reported.
According to the Kremlin, Abe will arrive on May 6th and will discuss economic cooperation with Putin. The two leaders are also expected to discuss international issues.
The Japanese and Russian Foreign Ministers held talks two weeks ago.
The meeting between Abe and Putin is viewed as a step towards improving bilateral relations between Russia and Japan, which have been poor for several decades due to the ongoing territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands.
Abe will also visit France, Belgium, Germany, and the UK during his European tour.
Japan is part of the group of countries that have issued economic sanctions against Russia due to the annexation of the Crimea and its role in the war in Eastern Ukraine.