Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. (Source: EPA/VNA)

Japanese government officials said Abe will visit Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom before traveling to Russia.

According to the plan, the Japanese Prime Minister will discuss with European leaders how to boost the global economy in the context of China's slowing economic growth. Speaking to reporters at Haneda Airport (Tokyo) before his departure, Abe expressed hope for frank discussions with the leaders of other countries.

In Belgium, Abe will hold talks with European Union (EU) leaders, including European Council President Donald Tusk, to exchange views aimed at advancing negotiations on an EU-Japan economic partnership agreement.

The G7 summit will take place from May 26-27 in Mie Prefecture, central Japan, with the participation of leaders from the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United States, and Japan.

On his return from Europe, Abe will visit Russia and hold talks with President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on issues including the sovereignty dispute over four islands currently controlled by Russia and called the Southern Kurils, while Japan also claims sovereignty over them and calls them the Northern Territories off the coast of Hokkaido.

The sovereignty dispute prevented Tokyo and Moscow from signing a peace treaty after World War II.

Japan hopes the meeting in Sochi will pave the way for a visit by the Russian president to Japan, a visit that had been planned since 2014 but was postponed due to tensions related to Ukraine.

According to Vietnam+