Vladivostok, Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin, sitting on a stage alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, proposed on Wednesday that the two men sign a peace treaty by the end of this year.

The two countries are in dispute over a chain of Pacific islands and as a result have still not formally ended their World War Two hostilities.

‘An idea has just come into my head,’ Putin said, turning towards Abe, during a question and answer session at an economic forum in the Russian city of Vladivostok.

‘Let’s conclude a peace treaty before the end of this year, without any pre-conditions.’

Abe, sitting alongside Putin, did not give his response.