Russia @en - page 9

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed during talks on Thursday and Friday to start discussing a “special system” for conducting “joint economic activities” on the four islands of the northern territories.
The Japanese government intends to use such economic collaboration to eventually resolve the issue of the northern territories and conclude a peace treaty with Russia. However, similar ideas have not come to fruition in the past, so twists and turns are expected in designing the system.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting Russian President Vladmir Putin held talks on Thursday evening to seek common ground on the longstanding issue of the northern territories and set a course for the conclusion of a peace treaty between the two nations.
The meeting took place at a hot spring ryokan inn in the city of Nagato, Yamaguchi Prefecture, which is Abe’s home turf and a part of his constituency.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled that a breakthrough is unlikely on the thorny Northern Territories issue during his visit to Japan starting Dec. 15.
Putin’s hard-line stand stems from Japan’s decision two years ago to join other Group of Seven nations in imposing sanctions against Russia after it annexed Crimea in Ukraine.It may also be due in part to the upcoming inauguration of Donald Trump as U.S. president. The billionaire property developer has repeatedly praised Putin. The Russian leader made clear that Japan’s decision to impose sanctions remains a major barrier towards progress in negotiations as it shattered trust between the two countries.”Japan joined in the sanctions against Russia,” he said. “How are we going to further economic relations at a higher level amid such sanctions?”