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Moscow, Tokyo discuss preparations for Putin’s visit to Japan

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida a number of topical international issues

© AP Photo/Druzhinin, Pool

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Japan foreign minister‘s visit to Moscow possible late in October — Kyodo

MOSCOW, September 22. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on September 21 to discuss work to pave the way for a visit to Japan by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Russian Foreign Ministry reports on its website.

"In discussing bilateral contacts, the ministers agreed to maintain close contacts with an aim of inclusively paving the way for a visit by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to Japan, paying special attention to the implementation of the agreements that the leaders of the two countries reached during their recent meeting in Vladivostok," the report said.

Besides, they exchanged opinions "on a number of topical international issues, in particular, the Syrian issue, as well as the situation in Northeast Asia," it went on.

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"They expressed a mutual bid to cooperate on these issues on the platform of the UN Security Council," the Foreign Ministry said.

President Putin is expected to visit Japan in December. An agreement on this was reached at a summit meeting in Russia’s Vladivostok on September 2, on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic forum.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Putin’s visit to Japan was due at the end of the year, and that he would meet with the Russian president in Nagato, the Japanese prime minister’s hometown, on December 15.

The prime minister said one more meeting of the two leaders was possible in November, at an APEC summit in Peru.

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US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

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