Many Western leaders have decided to skip the Sochi Winter Olympics in February, but not Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

He is planning to attend the Feb. 7 opening ceremony, hoping to showcase the importance Tokyo is placing on its relations with Moscow and resolving the long-standing dispute over the Russian-held islands off Hokkaido.

Officials are making the final arrangements to carve some time out of Abe's busy schedule, which is already crammed with budget deliberations in the Diet.