Japan steps up plans to host Putin

MOSCOW, March 17 (UPI) -- Japan is going to speed up its preparations to host a state visit from Russian President Vladimir Putin, Interfax news agency reported Thursday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura discussed Putin's proposed visit later this year in a phone conversation.

They "agreed on the need to speed up preparations" for the visit "to ensure that it will be productive and successful," a statement issued by the Japanese embassy in Moscow said.