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Tokyo governor hopes Putin’s visit will bolster ties between Russia and Japan

Putin's visit to Japan will take place on December 15-16

TOKYO, November 24. /TASS/. Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, has expressed hope that the upcoming visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Japan will contribute to strengthening relations between the two countries.

"President Putin’s visit to Japan is scheduled for next month," NHK TV channel quotes her as saying at a meeting with Russian Ambassador to Japan, Yevgeny Afanasyev, on Thursday. "I believe that it (this visit) will make relations between the two countries even warmer."

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Japanese PM says peace treaty cannot be signed without trusting relationship with Putin

A source in the Russian diplomatic mission has told TASS that during the meeting "the two sides agreed to cooperate in getting ready for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo." "They noted that this year marks 25 years of a sister-city relationship between Moscow and Tokyo and pointed to the importance of developing exchanges in sports and culture," the embassy’s press service said.

At the present time, preparations are underway in Moscow and Tokyo for the forthcoming visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Japan. According to presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, it will take place on December 15-16. The two countries’ leaders discussed the issue during their meeting at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru on November 19. Japanese Foreign Minister, Fumio Kishida, is expected to visit Russia at an early date for talks on preparations for Putin’s visit.

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