[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a press occasion at Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport).

The Prime Minister said the following,

"I will seek to steadily advance peace treaty negotiations with President Putin based on the results of our meeting held in Nagato City in December 2016. Toward that end, I would like to take a major step forward in carrying out joint economic activities in the Northern Territories and enabling their former residents to freely make grave visits. I also hope to hold frank exchanges of views with President Putin on various global challenges, including the urgent issue of heightening tensions surrounding North Korea and the situation in Syria, in order for us to work together toward addressing them."