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Having previously attracted international attention for its shirtless fishing and striding into ice baths shots, Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual calendar is now an eagerly-awaited global product.

However his calendar for 2020 is proving popular for an entirely different reason.

Think less torso, more Trump, goodbye masquerade and hello Merkel… for in 2020 Putin is positioning himself as a serious international leader.

Of the six Kremlin approved calendars that have been released, the 67-year-old Russian leader is most frequently photographed as a statesman.

In the wall calendar, key images include being pictured alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron as well as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

(Image: Ruptly)

But it is not the sight of Shinzo Abe which has whet the appetite of the Japanese market.

It is one of the five alternative offerings thought up by the Kremlin.

"This is the fourth year since our store, LOFT, has been selling the Putin calendar. This year, we have 3 different line ups.” notes the Japanese store that has rights to sell the product.

(Image: Ruptly)

"We think that the reason why his calendar is popular is because you can see him playing with animals, or some different looking [images] of President Putin unlike the usual time,” stated sales manager Yui Takahashi.

Cunningly, of the three versions released to the Japanese market, producers at the St Petersburg-based firm Medni Vsadnik ensured that the Japanese market received the 'animal version’ of the annual tracker.

Here, Putin is pictured cuddling a cat, standing alongside a majestic reindeer, playing with a tiger cub as well a wrestling or doting on a significant number of large dogs.

It is not the first time animals have been the turning point for Putin calendar sales in Japan.

(Image: Ruplty)

The 2017 version showing the President playing with his Akita Inu puppy - a gift from the governor of northern Japan - made sales in the country rocket.

Interest in the 2020 calendar overall is thought to be from a younger demographic than previous years.

LOFT notes: "About the age and sex of those who have bought [the calendar], it is popular among mostly young people, male and female.

(Image: Ruply)

"We don't exactly know why the Putin calender is so popular in Japan.” LOFT notes.

Whether the product is being taken seriously or not, it is looking to be a big seller in Japan for 2020.

Aside from the Japanese interest in the relationship the president has with animals, an article by the Guardian suggested that there is also an ongoing appreciation of the president's ‘unrivalled’ masculinity .

The Moscow Times reports that the image of Putin walking in front of Donald Trump in the 2020 calendar has been specifically added in to make the Russian president look taller than he is.