Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida discussed the possibility of signing a post-World War II peace treaty with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov during talks in Tokyo on Friday. They agreed to lay the groundwork for an unofficial visit to Russia by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is eager to solve a territorial dispute that has been a thorn in ties since 1945.
"We had a very forward-looking discussion to seek a possible solution for the peace treaty, which is the biggest bilateral concern," Kishida told a joint news conference after the meeting.
Lavrov reiterated comments by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has said he would welcome a visit by Abe.