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Russia to hand over urban development proposals to Japan

Galushka is visiting Japan in the wake of the recent Russian-Japanese talks held on the sidelines of the Second Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok

TOKYO, September 8 /TASS/. The Ministry for Development of the Russian Far East hopes to hand over its proposals on the work of a joint fund for development of urban environment to the Japanese side in a week, Alexander Galushka, the minister for the development of the Russian Far East, told TASS on Thursday after the second day of his visit to Tokyo.

"We agreed to study possibilities for creating new investment floors, including platforms for development of urban environment. I would like to remind you of an initiative made by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to develop Vladivostok," Galushka stressed adding that things were moving fast.

"On Saturday, he (the prime minister of Japan - TASS) mentioned this opportunity for the first time. On Thursday, we are discussing a concrete plan with our Japanese partners. The fund for development of urban environment may be useful and beneficial for both sides," Galushka said.

"The idea should not hang in the air and should be translated into concrete deeds. We suggested implementing a pilot project in Vladivostok. We are planning to submit our proposals and vision of how the fund should work to the Japanese side in a week," the minister concluded.

Galushka is visiting Japan in the wake of the recent Russian-Japanese talks held on the sidelines of the Second Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. On Wednesday, Galushka met Hiroshige Seko, Japan’s minister of economy, trade and industry who was also appointed minister in charge of economic cooperation with Russia on September 1.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who met Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 2 said Japan would like to develop urban infrastructure not just in Moscow and St. Petersburg but also in Russian regional administrative centers with a population exceeding one million people. He suggested creating a mechanism of bilateral consultations on development of urban infrastructure, which is one of the areas mentioned in an 8-point plan proposed by the Japanese prime minister at a meeting with the Russian president in Sochi on May 6.