Putin to visit Japan in 'foreseeable future'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday that President Vladimir Putin will visit Japan in the "foreseeable future".

The timing of Putin's visit will not be "too distant," and the contacts between the leaders of the two countries will be continued, the minister added while speaking during his annual press conference, Xinhua reported.

But Lavrov criticised Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, saying the move did not facilitate normalisation of relations in the region.

He noted that as the results of World War II have been embedded into the UN Charter, any revision of the results would contradict its stipulations.

However, Russia wants to cooperate with Japan in economy, trade and investment. This is what the two countries need, he added.