Japan to continue preparations to organize Putin’s visit this year - chief cabinet secretary

TOKYO, September 24. /TASS/. Japan will continue preparations to organize a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin before the yearend, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Thursday, commenting on the results of Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida’s recent visit to Moscow. We plan to continue preparations for a visit to Japan [by the Russian president] so that it could take place at a suitable date this year, Kyodo quoted him as saying. On September 21, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks with his visiting Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida that Moscow would consider Tokyo’s proposals on concrete date of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Japan. "As for a visit to Japan by the Russian president, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has invited Vladimir Putin to pay such visit," the Russian minister said. "This invitation has been accepted, so we expect the hosts to appoint concrete date," he said. "We will be ready to consider corresponding proposals." "Undoubtedly, it is important to impart a tight and meaningful content to the next summit meeting," he said. "We are working on many joint initiatives. We hope they will be implemented in any case to enrich the Russian-Japanese relations." Read more