Tokyo hosts new round of Russian - Japanese strategic dialogue

The event was attended by Japan's first Deputy Foreign Minister Takeo Akiba and Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Putin agreed to speed up the discussions on concluding the agreement between Russia and Japan on the peace treaty signed last year.

Participants of the dialogue have discussed a wide range of issues of their bilateral and international agenda, and noted positive dynamics of cooperation, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Since the mid-20th century, Russia and Japan have been holding consultations in order to clinch a peace treaty as a follow-up to World War II (WWII). The Kuril Islands issue remains the key sticking point, since after WWII the islands were handed over to the Soviet Union while Japan laid claims to the four southern islands.

The previous talks in this format were held in April last year in Moscow./.