Japan, Russia Agree to Step Up Work on Joint Economic Activities

February 17, 2018

Munich- Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, agreed on Friday to accelerate work on proposed joint economic activities on disputed islands.

In their talks in Munich, Germany, Kono and Lavrov agreed to meet again in Tokyo on March 21 to lay the groundwork for a proposed visit to Russia by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in May.

Lavrov told Kono that the two countries' common challenge is to make a Russia visit by Abe successful.

Russia is ready to make efforts to make the visit effective and fruitful, Lavrov said.

In response, Kono said he is willing to work together with Lavrov to ensure that Abe's visit will lead to progress in various projects between the two countries.

Japan and Russia have agreed to flesh out details this spring of the joint economic activities on four northwestern Pacific islands held by Moscow and claimed by Tokyo.

Kono called on Russia to let former Japanese residents travel to the islands by air to visit their relatives' graves this year as they did last year. Lavrov said Moscow will consider the request.

The Japanese foreign minister protested Moscow's decision to allow Russian warplanes to use an airport on Etorofu, one of the four disputed islands, and its recent antiterror military exercises conducted on Kunashiri, another of the islands.

These moves run counter to Tokyo's position and are regrettable because they help Russia beef up its military capabilities on the islands, Kono said.

The four islands were seized from Japan by Soviet troops in the closing days of World War II. The territorial dispute prevents Tokyo and Moscow from concluding a peace treaty to formally end their wartime hostilities.

On North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, Kono said now is the time to put maximum pressure on Pyongyang. Lavrov said Russia is willing to continue dialogue with Japan on the matter. Jiji Press