Japanese, Russian Upper House Leaders Hold Talks

July 24, 2018

Moscow- The heads of the upper chambers of the Japanese and Russian legislatures held talks in Moscow on Monday.

"I hope our talks will help strengthen Japan-Russia partnerships in various fields," Chuichi Date, president of Japan's House of Councillors, said at the opening of his meeting with Valentina Matviyenko, head of Russia's Federation Council.

Matviyenko said the talks are expected to give momentum to the promotion of the two countries' ties.

Date's visit to Moscow is based on an invitation from the Russian side.

On Tuesday, he will deliver a speech before Russia's parliament and hold talks with Vyacheslav Volodin, head of the State Duma, the lower chamber.

In September, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hopes to have a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Russian Far East city of Vladivostok to discuss ways to materialize joint economic activities on the disputed islands off Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido.

Date, through his ongoing visit, is seen trying to support intergovernmental negotiations. Jiji Press