TEMPO.CO, Tokyo - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has cancelled plans to host Russian President Vladimir Putin in Japan this year as part of Western sanctions on Russia over alleged involvement in Ukraine’s crisis.
Putin had been initially scheduled to visit Japan this fall, but Washington asked Tokyo to postpone the visit. Japan is now making arrangement so that Putin’s visit can be rescheduled in the next fall, depending on Russia’s relations with the United States.
Nevertheless, Abe and Putin still hope to hold talks during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum’s summit in Beijing in November. "Our goal has shifted from Mr. Putin's visit to Japan to holding a summit on the occasion of the APEC forum,” said a source as quoted by Channel News Asia on Tuesday.
Abe has held multiple summits with Putin since coming to office in late 2012 to expand economic ties and solve a dispute over the ownership of islands that were seized by Soviet troops in the final days of World War II.
ANINGTIAS JATMIKA | CHANNEL NEWS ASIA
