Japan seeks Putin's visit next year

Japan and Russia have agreed to lay the groundwork for Russian President Vladimir Putin to make a state visit to Japan early next year, Kyodo News reported Tuesday.

The two nations are now trying to pave the way for Putin to express his positive stance toward bringing about the visit when he meets Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Wednesday onthe sidelines of the three-day Group of Eight summit that begins Tuesday on Sea Island, Georgia.

It will be Putin's first visit to Japan since September 2000. But the visit could be delayed to March or later, Kyodo News said,citing the tight schedule to arrange the visit following Feb. 7 when Japan and Russia mark the 150th anniversary of signing the treaty of amity.

The two countries have yet to conclude a peace treaty due to the territorial dispute involving four islands off Hokkaido, whichwere held by Soviet troops at the end of World War II.

Tokyo and Moscow plan to prepare for the visit through such occasions as a vice foreign ministerial meeting in Tokyo next Monday, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi's visit to Russia later this month and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to Japan expected in the fall, according to the report.