Latest news with #Russian-Japanese
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
In a rare gesture, Putin lends his car to Shinzo Abe's widow for Moscow theatre visit
Russian President offered a rare personal gesture to Akie Abe, widow of assassinated former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. He lent her his own luxury car for a visit to Moscow's iconic Bolshoi Theatre. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The meeting took place on Thursday at the Kremlin and was aired on Russian state television. In the footage, Akie Abe was seen shedding tears as Putin praised her late husband's legacy and their shared diplomatic efforts. "I am very grateful to your husband. I will remember his contribution to the development of Russian-Japanese cooperation," Putin said, presenting Akie with a bouquet of flowers. He also encouraged her to enjoy the ballet and arranged for her to be driven in his personal Russian-made Aurus limousine. The Kremlin said the visit was not official. Japan's chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters the government had 'not had any correspondence with (Akie)' and was 'not in a position to comment.' The meeting is being viewed as a charm offensive by the Russian side at a time when relations between the two countries remain strained due to Japan's sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. During their conversation, Putin remembered Abe's efforts toward a peace treaty between their nations. 'I know his dream — and he pursued it earnestly — was concluding a peace treaty between our nations. We made significant progress together on this path,' he said according to Asahi Shimbun. But he added, 'The current situation differs; we will not address that aspect today.' Akie Abe said, 'The fact that (Shinzo) hosted you [in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 2016] demonstrates his particularly sincere attitude toward your country.' Tired of too many ads? go ad free now She added that although she is not a politician, 'Russia is a very important neighbour' for Japan and expressed hope for continued cultural exchange. Reflecting on her late husband's relationship with Putin, she said, 'Even after the onset of the challenging situation concerning Ukraine, my husband hoped to meet with you. Regrettably, circumstances prevented further meetings: his life was cut short.' Shinzo Abe was Japan's longest-serving prime minister and met with Putin 27 times during his tenure. He was shot and killed in July 2022 while giving a campaign speech in Nara. Putin did not attend his state funeral in Tokyo that year.
Asahi Shimbun
3 days ago
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
Putin offers warm welcome to teary Akie Abe in Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin brought Akie Abe, the widow of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, to tears with his words as they met in Moscow on May 29. The Kremlin announced the meeting that day. During the meeting, Putin said that he is 'very grateful' to her late husband and will 'remember his contribution to the development of Russian-Japanese cooperation.' During Abe's tenure as prime minister, the two leaders held 27 summits. A portion of the meeting with Akie on May 29 was televised on Russia's state television, and Putin welcomed Abe's widow by giving her a bouquet of flowers. In the footage, Akie was seen shedding tears as she listened to Putin's words. According to the Russian state-run TASS news agency, Putin recommended that Akie see a ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre, one of Russia's most famous theaters. He even allowed Akie to use his personal limousine to travel to the theater. The unusually favorable treatment can be seen as Putin's move aimed at improving relations with Japan. It is also believed that the charm offensive is intended to bring Japan closer to Russia, which is under severe economic sanctions from the United States and Europe. According to the TV footage and the Kremlin's official website, Putin noted that Shinzo Abe and his father, former Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe, had focused on diplomatic efforts with the former Soviet Union and Russia. Putin said: 'I know his dream--and he pursued it earnestly--was concluding a peace treaty between our nations. We made significant progress together on this path.' But he added, 'The current situation differs; we will not address that aspect today.' It is believed that Putin said that while keeping in mind that Japan had imposed sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In their conversation, Akie recalled Putin's visit to her husband's hometown of Yamaguchi Prefecture in December 2016 and said, 'The fact that (Shinzo) hosted you there demonstrates his particularly sincere attitude toward your country.' After prefacing that she is not a politician and does not wish to address political matters, Akie said that Russia is 'a very important neighbor' for Japan and that she hopes cultural exchanges continue. Abe focused intently on the disputed Japan-Russia Northern Territories negotiations and last met with Putin in September 2019. The former prime minister was shot and killed in July 2022 while giving a campaign speech in Nara, almost two years after resigning from office. At the time, Russia's full invasion of Ukraine had already begun and Putin did not attend Abe's state funeral in September that year in Tokyo. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi declined to comment on Akie's visit to Moscow at a news conference on May 30. 'The Japanese government has not had any correspondence with (Akie) and is not in a position to comment,' he said.
United News of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Putin receives widow of former Japanese PM Abe in Kremlin
Moscow, May 30 (UNI) Russian President Vladimir Putin has received Akie Abe, the widow of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in the Kremlin, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "Vladimir Putin received in the Kremlin the widow of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, killed in an assassination attempt, Akie Abe, who is currently in Moscow," Peskov said. At the meeting with Akie Abe, Putin said that Shinzo Abe had done a lot to develop relations between Russia and Japan. "Your husband has done a lot to develop Russian-Japanese relations. And I developed very good personal relations with him," the Russian president said on Thursday. Shinzo Abe sincerely sought to conclude a peace treaty between Russia and Japan, and at that time the countries made serious progress along this path, but today the situation is different, Putin also said. He said the former Japanese prime minister had also sincerely sought to fully restore Russian-Japanese cooperation and had done a lot to achieve this. On July 8, 2022, Abe was fatally shot while speaking during his campaign speech in Nara Prefecture. UNI SPUTNIK ARN
3 days ago
- Politics
Putin Meets with Ex-Japan PM Abe's Widow in Moscow
News from Japan World May 30, 2025 10:22 (JST) Tokyo, May 30 (Jiji Press)--Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Akie Abe, the widow of the late former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, at the Kremlin in Moscow, the Russian presidential office has said. The meeting took place following an invitation from Russia, while Japan maintains its sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. In an English announcement on the session released Thursday, the presidential office quoted Putin as saying that the former prime minister "contributed greatly to the development of Russian-Japanese relations." "I had very warm personal relations with him," Putin told Akie, adding that he remembers visiting Japan in 2016 to attend a bilateral summit with Abe in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Abe's home turf. Akie said that although her late husband hoped to meet with Putin after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, he died before being able to do so. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Russia's Putin Praises Abe, Says Late Japanese PM Wanted Peace Treaty
Pool via Reuters Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes Akie Abe, wife of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, at the Kremlin in Moscow on Thursday. Russian President Vladimir Putin paid tribute to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday, saying he knew the slain Japanese leader had dreamt of finally concluding a post-World War Two peace treaty. No treaty was ever signed as the two countries could not resolve a dispute over the then-Soviet Union's seizure at the end of the war of four islands in the Southern Kuril chain, known in Japan as the Northern Territories. Russian media said Abe and Putin met altogether 27 times during the nearly nine years the Japanese leader was in office. Abe left office in 2020 and was assassinated two years later while making an election campaign speech. I know that his dream — and he truly strived to achieve this — was to conclude a peace treaty between our two countries. The situation is different now, the Russian leader said. Putin, whose comments to Abe's widow in the Kremlin were reported by Russian news agencies, also said fulfilling that dream was not possible in the current international situation given the conflict in Ukraine. Your husband did a great deal for the development of Russian-Japanese relations. We had very good personal relations, Putin was quoted as telling Akie Abe. Russia's relations with Japan have been strained by Tokyo's support for sanctions imposed by Ukraine's Western allies over Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. All negotiations on clinching a peace treaty have been suspended. Akie Abe told Putin, according to the agencies, that her husband had wanted to meet Putin even after the start of the Ukraine conflict 'but unfortunately circumstances were such that he was no longer able to meet you. His life was cut short.'
