TOKYO (AP) – Russia and Japan aren’t likely to resolve a long-running territorial dispute, but they hope to announce an economic cooperation agreement after their leaders finish talks in Tokyo on Friday.
The two countries have been negotiating the agreement since Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe proposed it as part of a “comprehensive approach” to improving bilateral ties at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia in May.
The two leaders are wrapping up a two-day summit that began Thursday evening at a hot springs resort in western Japan. For Putin, the summit meeting marks his first official visit to a G-7 country since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. Abe invited Putin even though the G-7 nations, including Japan, still have sanctions on Russia.
Russia wants to attract Japanese investment, particularly to its far east. Japan hopes that stronger ties through joint economic projects will help resolve the thorny territorial issue over time.
Putin arrived about 45 minutes behind schedule in Tokyo, because of a mechanical problem with his presidential aircraft. He used a backup plane, according to Japanese media. After a second round of talks, he and Abe are also expected to give speeches to a Japanese business group and visit a judo center in Tokyo. Putin is well-known for practicing judo.