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2nd LD Writethru: Japanese PM to visit Russia on May 6 -- Putin

Xinhua, April 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed Wednesday that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Russia on May 6 in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Putin made the remarks during the credentials ceremony for new ambassadors of 16 countries, including Japan.

Saying that relations with Japan are one of Russia's top foreign policy priorities, Putin voiced the hope to mend ties with Tokyo during Abe's forthcoming visit.

Moscow and Tokyo have a long-held territorial dispute over four Pacific islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia, which has prevented both sides from inking a peace treaty after World War II.

Relations between Russia and Japan have soured after Tokyo slapped sanctions on Russia in 2014, alongside with the United States and the European Union, in response to its takeover of Crimea and the crisis in eastern Ukraine.

On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Japan, where he agreed with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida to continue consultations about the disputed islands, although fundamental differences on the issue still remain.

Putin is expected to pay a return visit to Japan later this year, according to Japanese officials. Endi