Russia may ease Japanese visits to disputed islands: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attend a working lunch in Tokyo, Japan, Friday, Dec. 16, 2016. REUTERS/Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool

TOKYO (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia may relax rules for Japanese citizens to visit the islands in the Pacific that are subject of a territorial dispute between Moscow and Tokyo. Speaking at a news conference in Tokyo after meeting Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Putin also said that a solution needs to be found to the territorial dispute, and he invited Abe to visit Russia. The two leaders in their talks discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula, Putin told reporters. (Reporting by Katya Golubkova; Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Alexander Winning)