MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Millions of people in Russia and Japan want to resolve the existing tensions between the two countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday adding that sooner or later all problems will be tackled.
"Unfortunately, our countries have a lot of unresolved issues. But many people in Russia know and love Japan, and despite everything — I am sure that one day we will solve all our problems, but no matter when it happens today there already is a craving of millions of people in Russia — and, I believe, millions of people in Japan — to know each other, to cooperate with each other, to exchange useful information, and there is an earnest desire to resolve all issues that still stand," Putin said in an interview to the Nippon TV channel and the Yomiuri newspaper.
The interview came ahead of Putin's official visit to Japan, which will begin on Thursday. The visit, which had been postponed since 2014, marks a major breakthrough in the relations between the countries.
