TOKYO, May 24 (Itar-Tass) — Ryuji Yamane, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs at the Japanese Foreign Ministry, on Thursday left here by air for Moscow, where he intends, in particular, to make preparations for forthcoming contacts between the two countries at high and summit levels.
Before his departure for Moscow, the diplomat represented his country at the ministerial conference of the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) in Paris.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Premier Yoshihiko Noda on May 11 had a telephone conversation during which they agreed to carry on dialogue on all matters concerning bilateral relations, including that through personal contacts at multilateral international meetings. The first such meeting is expected during the G-20 summit at Los Cabos in Mexico at the end of June.
An Itar-Tass correspondent has learned that Japan's Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba would like to visit Moscow, tentatively in July. Another meeting between the leaders of the two countries is likely during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum summit in Vladivostok in September. The Japanese Premier is also planning to make a separate official visit to Russia.