Japan's Shinzo Abe meets Russia's Vladimir Putin to discuss territorial dispute

NAGATO, Japan, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met Thursday to discuss a territorial dispute that has prevented the countries from signing a peace treaty since World War II.

Abe is hoping to settle a territorial dispute over four islands off Japan's larger Hokkaido island. Russia controls the islands, while Japan claims territorial rights to them.

Abe invited Putin to a hot spring experience in Abe's ancestral town of Nagato. Putin's meeting with the Japanese leader is not an official state visit. Putin's visit has been dubbed the "onsen summit" -- onsen meaning a Japanese hot spring and its facilities.

Technically, Russia and Japan are still at war due to the territorial dispute.

"I would like you to enjoy the local delicacies in the middle of beautiful nature and I would hope you take time to enjoy the onsen," Abe said. "I guarantee that you will feel revived after the talks because the onsen is known for it."

The Japan Times reported the meeting is not expected to resolve the dispute. Prior to his departure to Japan, Putin said there were "no territorial problems."

"We believe we have no territorial problems at all. It is only Japan that believes it has territorial problems with Russia. We are ready to talk about this," Putin said.

Japan is the only member of the Group of Seven nations to seek normalization of relations with Russia. The United States has objected to Putin's visit to Japan. Japan has the most relaxed sanctions against Russia out of G7 nations.

Abe's planned first meal for Putin included puffer fish. At least one person dies each year on average in Japan from eating puffer fish that was not properly prepared.