Tokyo: Japan's trade minister on Monday ruled out any economic cooperation with Russia that would undermine Group of Seven (G7) unity on sanctions imposed after Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014.

The minister, Hiroshige Seko, who holds the portfolio for economic cooperation with Russia, spelt out Japan's position ahead of summit meetings on Thursday and Friday between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, left, with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their APEC meeting in Lima in November. Credit:AP

The two leaders will meet in Japan to discuss economic cooperation and a decades-old territorial dispute.

"We will never hurt G7 solidarity over the Ukraine issue. That's a prerequisite," Seko told a news conference.