Japanese PM plans to invite Putin to visit his native prefecture - newspaper

TOKYO, May 5. /TASS/. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit his native Yamaguchi Prefecture in the southwest of the main island of Honshu, Sankei Shimbun said on Thursday. According to the newspaper, Abe wants to discuss this idea with the Russian leader during their meeting in Russia’s Black Sea resort city of Sochi on May 6. If this invitation is accepted, the Japanese side would like to work on concrete details so that Putin’s visit to Yamaguchi could be held this year, the newspaper said, adding that a meeting in a province in a relax atmosphere will make it possible to address the territorial dispute in detail. Russia and Japan have consistently held talks at the highest level to fully mend bilateral relations and sign a peace treaty. The main stumbling block to this is the issue of the ownership of the southern Kuril Islands. After the end of World War II all Kuril Islands were incorporated into the USSR. However, the ownership of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan islands and the Habomai Islands is challenged by Japan. Read more