U.S. State Secretary invites Japanese PM to dinner at Boston residence

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. during his visit to the United States that will start Sunday, international news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported Wednesday.

Abe will visit to Washington`s National Mall, which honors hundreds of thousands of Americans who died during the conflict, in a symbolic gesture aimed at assuaging criticism about his stance on Japan`s wartime atrocities. Many of the war dead were killed during battles against Japanese forces. Tokyo hopes that the visit will demonstrate Abe`s intent, AFP reported.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will host Abe to dinner at the top U.S. diplomat`s private residence in Boston on Sunday as part of the Japanese leader`s visit to the United States, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf said Tuesday. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida will also take part, she said.

The invitation of Abe to Kerry`s hometown residence on the first day of the Japanese prime minister`s U.S. visit is considered an event aimed at bringing the two closer on a personal level to address sensitive issues between the two allies.