Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with French President Francois Hollande on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, where the two leaders discussed efforts to combat the Islamic State and how best to deal with Russia's activities in Ukraine.
"It is important to put pressure on Russia with sanctions and also to make an approach through dialogue and engagement," Abe was quoted by a Japanese government official as saying during the meeting on Wednesday in New York.
Japan announced a new round of sanctions on Russia on the same day in Tokyo, following the lead of the United States and the European Union, for Moscow's role in the Ukraine conflict.