Tokyo expects Putin to visit Japan in June, top diplomat says

MOSCOW, January 14. /TASS/. Tokyo expects Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit Japan in June, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said during talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Monday. "President Putin is expected to visit Japan in June to participate in the closing ceremony of the Japanese-Russian bilateral year, which both countries’ leaders will attend," the Japanese top diplomat said. "As for the Japanese-Russian bilateral year, which has already reached a turning point, it has contributed to strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties at various levels," Taro Kono added. "As for parliamentary exchanges, they have been very active, as well as exchanges between the two countries’ regions," he added. In September 2018, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that he planned to hold a meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka in June 2019. Read more