Putin meets widow of former Japanese Prime Minister Abe in Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin has met Abe Akie, the widow of the late Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo in Moscow. The meeting took place at the Kremlin on Thursday. She described Russia as a "very important neighbour for Japan," and said she would be happy if cultural exchanges between the two countries could develop.

Putin said Russia remembers the late prime minister's contribution to the development of Russian-Japanese cooperation. He said Abe's dream was concluding a peace treaty between the two nations, and noted that the Japanese leader "pursued it earnestly." Putin added, "They made significant progress together on this path."