Abe plans to meet with Putin at EEF, discuss bilateral problems - cabinet

TOKYO, August 5. /TASS/. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is planning to take part in September’s Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, in the Russian Far East, and meet there with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters in Tokyo on Monday. "As for the Eastern Economic Forum in September, if circumstances permit, Prime Minister Abe will attend this event," Suga said. "Since there are problems in [Japanese-Russian relations] the two countries’ leaders should meet and discuss this directly," he said, commenting on whether Russian-Japanese relations could deteriorate in the wake of the recent trip of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to the Southern Kuril Islands. Tokyo has voiced protest over the move. The Eastern Economic Forum is due on September 4-6. It serves as a platform to discuss key issues in world economy, regional integration, and the development of new industrial and technological sectors, as well as global challenges facing Russia and other nations. In 2018, 220 agreements, contracts, memorandums and protocols worth over 3 trillion rubles ($46.4 bln) were signed at the forum, which was attended by over 6,000 delegates from 60 states. Read more