Japan's Abe says he plans to meet with Putin in Russia this week

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday he planned to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week when he attends the Eastern Economic Forum to be held in Vladivostok Sept 4-6.

Abe said he wanted to make progress towards talks over a peace treaty and joint economic activities in the four disputed Russian-held islands off Japan's northern region of Hokkaido.