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Abe’s widow hopes Russia, Japan will develop cultural exchanges

Russia is a very important neighbor for Japan, Akie Abe, widow of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said

MOSCOW, May 30. /TASS/. Akie Abe, widow of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, told Russian President Vladimir Putin that she would like cultural exchanges and people-to-people communication between Russia and Japan to develop despite political differences.

"I am not a politician and would not like to touch on any political issues right now. I can only say one thing: Russia is a very important neighbor for Japan. And it would make me happy if cultural exchanges and people-to-people communication between our countries develop even at this difficult time," she said.

Shinzo Abe was the prime minister of Japan from 2006-2007 and 2012-2020. He resigned due to health issues.

As prime minister, Abe developed a warm and friendly relationship with Putin. They met a total of 27 times and addressed each other on a first-name basis. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in 2020 - after Abe stepped down as prime minister - that relations between the two leaders "were truly friendly, mutually respectful and based on personal affinity.".

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