RUSSIA- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday he is increasingly willing to work with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to conclude a peace treaty that formally ends the two countries' World War II hostilities, according to visiting former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.Mori quoted Putin as saying at their meeting in Ekaterinburg, central Russia, that he hopes to make efforts jointly with Abe over the matter.

Putin told Mori that he had a very good bilateral meeting with Abe in Hamburg, northern Germany, on Friday, which was held on the fringe of the two-day Group of 20 summit through Saturday.

He also said that he has absolute trust in the Japanese leader, whom he described as honest.

The president then noted that close cooperation between him and Abe is a cornerstone for successful Japan-Russia relations.

Meanwhile, Mori said he believes that putting an end to the issue and producing good results are a political duty of the two leaders, stressing that they have a historic role.

Mori has a longstanding friendship with Putin and has sometimes worked as a bridge between Abe and Putin.

Tokyo and Moscow have still been unable to conclude a World War II peace treaty because of their decades-old territorial row over four northwestern Pacific islands that are under the control of Russia and claimed by Japan. The islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan, were seized by the former Soviet Union from Japan at the end of the war.

According to Mori, Putin invited him to Ekaterinburg ahead of the former Japanese leader's 80th birthday on Friday on the occasion of one of Russia's largest industry trade shows, to be held in the city from Monday. (Jiji Press)