TOKYO, August 02, /ITAR-TASS/. The issue of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Japan scheduled for this autumn will be decided taking into account several factors, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Saturday.
Speaking at a news conference in Sao Paolo, he said the issue was not settled yet.
Abe said that Tokyo was hoping for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine and that G7 countries should be working together with Russia to find a diplomatic solution.
The agreement on Putin’s visit to Japan was reached during a telephone conversation between the two leaders in February 2014. As the situation in Ukraine deteriorated, Tokyo repeatedly stated that there were no changes in preparations for the visit.
Earlier this week, the Japanese government announced plans to impose stricter sanctions against Russia over Ukraine.