By Akira Kurita in Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov revealed on Nov. 17 that at the Japan-Russia summit to be held on the sidelines of the APEC Summit opening in Lima, Peru, on Nov. 19, Putin and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will discuss negotiations on the signing of a peace treaty, including the Northern Territories issue, and expansion of Japan-Russia cooperation on the Kuril Islands (the Northern Territories and Chishima Islands). This was reported by Interfax.

Ushakov stated that the bilateral summit will be held on Nov. 19. He also announced that a formal agreement had been reached with Japan for Putin to visit on Dec. 15-16, and details of his schedule will be finalized at the summit meeting in Lima.

The Japanese side has only announced that a summit meeting will take place on Dec. 15 in Abe’s hometown in Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and has not disclosed Putin’s schedule before and after this meeting. The Russian side wants Putin to visit not only Yamaguchi, but also Tokyo. (Slightly abridged)