Japanese and Russian foreign ministers held their first formal meeting in five years on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Atlanta.

What it means

Japan and Russia's foreign ministers held their first formal bilateral meeting in five years, signaling a potential diplomatic thaw amid ongoing tensions over the Ukraine war and territorial disputes. The meeting, reported by NHK, likely covered issues such as energy cooperation, the Northern Territories (Kuril Islands), and regional security. This marks a rare high-level engagement between the two countries, whose relations have been strained since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Accuracy & sourcesSourced

The claim is based on reporting by NHK, a reputable Japanese public broadcaster, which cites official sources. As a secondary report of a diplomatic event, it is highly likely to be accurate, though specific details of the discussions may not be fully disclosed.

How new

This is genuinely new coverage of a current diplomatic development, as the meeting is described as the first formal one in five years.

Go deeper

• TASS (English) — first to publish