(VOVworld) – Visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday, focusing on several disputed islands.

On December 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) had talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (middle) (Photo: EPA/ VNA)

Abe told reporters following the three-hour talks that he had a "candid and in-depth" discussion with Putin and they discussed free visits of Japanese ex-residents to, and joint economic activities on four disputed islands in the Pacific. Territorial disputes between Japan and Russia over 4 islands in the Pacific, called the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia, hindered the effort to conclude a peace treaty after the end of World War II.