OSAKA /Japan/, March 24. /TASS/. Moscow and Tokyo plan to carry out more than 120 joint political, economic, and cultural activities in 2018, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets said ahead of a meeting with Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshige Seko on Saturday.
"More than 120 joint political, economic, and cultural activities are planned to be carried out, the effect they will have on the two countries’ economy and people depends on our work," she said.
According to Golodets, Moscow has suggested to Tokyo that a green corridor be created for pharmaceutical companies.
"We have suggested that the so-called green corridor be created for pharmaceutical companies, as we want to ease the access to the Russian market for Japanese companies," she said.
The meeting also involves Russian Economic Development Minister Maksim Oreshkin.
Oreshkin and Golodets are currently on a visit to Japan’s Osaka, where a Japanese-Russian symposium on university exchanges and training industrial staff is taking place.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced at their meeting in April 2017 that 2018 would be declared the Year of Cultural Exchange. The Year’s agenda will particularly include a circus program, an animation program and several big exhibitions. Moscow’s Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts will exhibit masterpieces by French impressionist painters from its collection and will host an exhibition of Japanese works created during the Edo period (1603-1868), provided by Japanese museums.