Putin wants peace with Japan

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants the ties between his country and Japan 'fully normalize.

The then Soviet Union attacked Japanese territories in Asia in 1945, in the aftermath of World War II. It took until 1956 until the countries formally ended their state of war. A genuine peace treaty did not happen.

Russia and Japan have an unresolved dispute over four islands belonging to the Kuril. Both countries claim control over the islands.