Russian President Vladimir Putin may visit Japan at the end of the year, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's home prefecture of Yamaguchi possibly the venue for talks between the Russian and Japanese leaders, several sources linked to Japan-Russia relations said Thursday.

According to the sources, Abe invited Putin — during a bilateral meeting May 6 in Sochi on Russia's Black Sea coast — to come in December to the southwestern prefecture.

Following the Sochi talks, Tokyo and Moscow set about coordinating a visit by Putin.