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Putin-Abe talks move to Tokyo; territory, economy on agenda
NAGATO, Japan — The leaders of Russia and Japan move to Tokyo on Friday to wrap up a two-day summit on an economic co-operation agreement and a protracted territorial dispute that has prevented their countries from signing a peace treaty to end World War II.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin spent much of their first round at a hot springs resort in western Japan on Thursday discussing small steps to move forward on the dispute over four small islands.
“We had in-depth discussions on a peace treaty,” Abe told reporters afterward.
He said they discussed possible joint economic projects on the disputed islands. A sticking point: Japan says they should be operated under a special legal status that does not raise sovereignty issues. Russia, which governs the islands, wants them to be run under its law.