"… 70 years since the end of World War II there is an abnormal situation that we do not have a peace treaty between our countries. Together with [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin we have come to the conclusion that the problem should be solved. We have agreed on the beginning of the negotiation process concerning the free visit of the former residents to the [Kuril] islands, joint economic activity based on a creation of a unique system on all four islands and have made a crucial step towards signing a peace treaty. In order to give a further impetus [to the process], I am going to visit Russia soon this year," Abe said during a parliamentary session.
Moscow and Tokyo never signed a permanent peace treaty after World War II due to a disagreement over the group of islands, which Russia calls the Southern Kurils and Japan the Northern Territories, encompassing Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and Habomai.
The relations between the two countries have recently been re-energized. In September 2016, Abe took part in the Eastern Economic Forum in Russia's Vladivostok, during which he held three-hour talks with Putin and presented the bilateral economic plan covering the issues of cooperation in the sphere of gas, oil, airports and ports modernization.
On December 15-16, 2016, Putin visited Japan to meet with Abe. As a result, the sides agreed to establish joint economic activities on the disputed Southern Kurils in a bid to create a favorable atmosphere for talks on a peace treaty between the countries.
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