Putin: Russia is organizing a trip to the Japanese officials and businessmen in the South Kurils
MOSCOW, April 27. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Japanese officials and businessmen will visit the South Kuril Islands.
“To explore concrete possibilities of interaction this summer will be organized a trip to the Southern Kuriles group of Japanese officials and businessmen”, — said the Russian head of state to journalists after talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Putin noted that trade turnover between Russia and Japan moved from decline to growth, increased the volume of Japanese investment in Russia. “It is gratifying that after a certain decline began to improve the situation in the sphere of economic cooperation. In January-February of the current year the growth of mutual trade,” — said the Russian leader. He added that the volume of accumulated Japanese investment in Russia also increased in 2015, it was $1.3 billion, and in 2016 — $1.7 billion.
Putin also said that Russia and Japan have confirmed their intention to develop mutually beneficial cooperation. According to him, the talks in the Kremlin “took place in a constructive atmosphere”. “Just note that Russia and Japan had demonstrated their commitment to further development of mutually beneficial and multifaceted cooperation,” the Russian leader said, calling Japan as an important and promising partner of Russia. “We are ready to work together to solve any, even the most complicated issues of bilateral relations on the principles of mutual respect, equality and consideration for each other’s interests”, — Putin said.
He said that the sides discussed current state of bilateral relations and considered the results of the implementation of the agreements reached during the Russian President’s visit to Japan in December last year, and identified priorities for interaction in the near and distant future. “Welcomed Mr. Abe, in recent years the contacts between our countries have intensified”, — Putin said, mentioning, in particular, the resumption of meetings in the format of “two plus two” (the head of the Ministry of defense and Ministry of foreign Affairs of the two countries), the dialogue between the security councils and parliaments of Russia and Japan.