MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd January, 2019) There have been no arrangements made for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's new visit to Russia, Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Takeshi Osuga said on Tuesday, rebuffing reports of a planned visit in spring.
Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun reported on Monday that Abe wanted to visit Russia this spring in an effort to solve the territorial row between the two nations, which has stopped them from signing a peace treaty.
"I saw the media report. With regard to future summit meetings, the only thing that is agreed or planned - President Putin will visit Japan in June for attending the G20 Osaka summit on June 28-29 and hold summit meeting on this occasion... Nothing is decided other than the June summit meeting in Osaka or Tokyo, anyway in Japan," Osuga told reporters at a briefing.
Commenting on Abe's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that took place earlier on Tuesday, Osuga stated that the both leaders had noted the growth of trade and investment between their countries and agreed to cooperate to enhance that positive trend.
"Since the two leaders' last meeting in Vladivostok in September 2018 about 30 agreements in private sector have been signed within the framework of [Abe-proposed] eight-point cooperation plan," Osuga indicated.
The eight-point cooperation plan was introduced by the Japanese prime minister during his visit to Russia in May 2016. The plan envisages cooperation in such areas as urban planning, energy sector, high technology and business, among others.�
Abe arrived in Moscow on Monday for talks with Putin. There has been a flurry of diplomacy between the two countries after their leaders resumed attempts in recent years to conclude the peace treaty. They have been technically at war since the end of World War II.
