Japanese people 'disappointed' with Abe-Putin summit

(Baonghean.vn)- On December 16, Secretary General of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Toshihiro Nikai, said many Japanese people were "disappointed" because Mr. Abe could not narrow the disagreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the sovereignty dispute over the South Kuril Islands currently controlled by Russia, which Japan also claims and calls the Northern Territories.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to hold talks on joint activities on disputed islands. Photo: AP

"We have to keep in mind that most Japanese people are disappointed," Nikai said at a press conference at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo. He said Abe "could have reached a satisfactory agreement" by continuing negotiations with Putin "even for three or four days," rather than just two.

In addition, although welcoming some agreements that have been reached, such as a plan to simplify procedures so that former Japanese residents can visit their relatives on the islands of the Southern Kuril archipelago, Mr. Nikai said that they should not be satisfied with that and expressed hope that the two countries will move towards a peace treaty and true friendship./.

Lan Ha

(According to Kyodo)