Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Sochi, Russia, May 6, 2016. (Xinhua/EPA File Photo)

MOSCOW, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet on the sidelines of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru, the Kremlin said Thursday.

The meeting is scheduled for Saturday with discussions to be focused on the issue of a peace treaty between the two countries, as well as their cooperation on the disputed Kuril islands, which Japan refers to as the Northern Territories, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told reporters.

The 24th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held on Nov. 19-20 in Lima, the capital city of Peru.

Ushakov also confirmed that Putin will visit Japan on Dec. 15-16, a long-awaited visit for Tokyo that was postponed due to their unfavorable ties in 2015.

Japan and Russia have been at odds over four Pacific islands, which has kept the two sides from signing a peace treaty since the end of World War II.