Kremlin welcomes Japan’s bid to resume dialogue with Russia - Peskov

MOSCOW, May 20./TASS/. The Kremlin welcomes the mood of Japan’s political forces towards restart of dialogue with Russia and will consider Tokyo’s initiative if it comes, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday, speaking about a possible visit to Japan of the Russian president. "We certainly welcome constructive approach of different political forces, parties of Japan as to the renewal of a dialogue with Russia, including on a peace treaty," he said. "As it has been before, if an official invitation, Japan’s initiative is resumed, it will be considered, because Russia has always favored and will keep being in favor of continuation of a dialogue," Peskov said. Earlier on Wednesday, Japan’s former foreign minister and Vice-President of the Liberal Democratic Party Masahiko Komura said Tokyo hoped to settle the Kuril Islands dispute during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Japan. "We would want to sign a peace treaty settling the territorial problem, and for this we would want President Putin to visit Japan. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is thinking on this very seriously," Komura said at a meeting with State Duma Speaker Sergey Naryshkin in Tokyo. Putin’s visit to Japan was scheduled for the autumn of 2014, but it failed to take place as relations between the two countries soured against the background of the Ukrainian crisis. On May 18, the Japanese Foreign Ministry confirmed to Tass that Tokyo intended to continue work on paving the way for Russian leader’s visit this year. According to diplomats, the Japanese prime minister informed US President Barack Obama about this at their recent meeting in April. On the same day, Dmitry Peskov said Kremlin had no new data at the moment as to preparations for Putin’s visit to Japan. Read more