Russia is determined to have Boris Yeltsin visit Japan, visiting Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko told Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi on Tuesday.

During their talks at the Prime Minister's Official Residence, Khristenko said the two countries should make Yeltsin's visit an "epoch-making event that will open a new page for Russo-Japanese relations," a Foreign Ministry official said.

Khristenko, however, did not mention specific dates for Yeltsin's visit, which has been expected to occur this fall, the official said.

In a show of support for Moscow's reform efforts, Obuchi conveyed to Khristenko Japan's decision to unfreeze $1.5 billion in untied loans to Russia extended by the Export-Import Bank of Japan in 1998, the official said.

Khristenko expressed his gratitude for Japan's support, saying Japan is the only nation among the Group of Seven that is extending loans to Russia on a bilateral basis, the official quoted him as saying.

Japan stopped disbursing the loans after the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank suspended financial aid to Moscow during its economic crisis last summer.

By the time Khristenko leaves Saturday, the two sides are expected to sign an agreement on resuming the remaining $1.1 billion portion of the $1.5 billion loan package, the official said. Tokyo has already disbursed $400 million.

Obuchi and Khristenko agreed to strive to finalize a framework this week for visa-free visits to four Russian-held islands off Hokkaido by former Japanese residents of the islands, the official said.

The two also agreed to hold talks between Obuchi and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during the annual meeting of leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, scheduled for Sep. 12-13 in Auckland, the official said.

Khristenko arrived in Japan Tuesday on a five-day visit to discuss bilateral trade and economic issues with Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura today in Tokyo.

Khristenko is also scheduled to meet with Kaoru Yosano, the minister of international trade and industry, and with business leaders.

Talks between Komura and Khristenko are within the framework of an intergovernmental committee aimed at promoting trade and economic activities between Japan and Russia.

During their talks, the two sides will discuss a wide range of topics, including cooperation in the fields of energy, investment, tourism and in the Far East, the official said.

Japan will support the idea of creating a "Russian Development Bank" to help Moscow recover from the financial and economic crisis that hit the country last summer, the official said.