Tokyo pleased with results of Putin-Abe talks in January, says ambassador

MOSCOW, January 29./TASS/. Tokyo is pleased with the results of talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on January 22, Japan’s Ambassador in Moscow Toyohisa Kozuki said in an interview with TASS on Tuesday. "The leaders sincerely exchanged opinions on the issue of signing a peace treaty. They agreed to issue instructions at the working level to consistently and promptly advance joint work towards an early implementation of joint economic activity on four islands," the diplomat said. "Focusing on humanitarian measures for the former residents of the islands, the sides saw eye to eye as to organizing visits to their ancestors’ graves by aircraft in the summer of this year," the ambassador added. "The leaders welcomed the development of cooperation on the trajectory of economy and humanitarian exchanges, including the implementation of a cooperation plan of eight items, as well as reached common ground on giving a boost to positive tendencies," Kozuki went on to say. "Discussing the international situation, the sides had a frank exchange of views and confirmed a bid to closely cooperate in the future on the issue of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," he added. "Thus, the leaders sincerely discussed prospects for the development of Japanese-Russian cooperation on different trajectories. I think this meeting was a good start for our relations in 2019," the ambassador stressed. Read more