TOKYO: Japan and Russia on Friday struck economic deals to build confidence towards a peace treaty to formally end World War II that has been prevented by a spat over Russian-occupied islands claimed by Tokyo.
The second and final day of talks in Tokyo comes after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Vladimir Putin met Thursday in Abe’s ancestral hometown in western Japan in the hopes of achieving a breakthrough.
But despite a “frank” exchange of views the leaders announced no major headway on a peace treaty, though they did make progress on ways to cooperate economically, including in the contested area.
Mr Abe, speaking at a luncheon with Mr Putin, said they had agreed on “more than 60 projects” in economic-related areas, with details to be announced at a news conference later in the day.
