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Japanese PM says Tokyo will pursue peace treaty with Russia, cooperation in all areas

Tokyo sees its relations with Moscow as most promising
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe EPA-EFE/TOMS KALNINS
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
© EPA-EFE/TOMS KALNINS

TOKYO, January 22. /TASS/. The Japanese government seeks to sign a peace treaty with Russia based on deepening multifaceted ties and build a system of cooperation with Moscow on the global stage, including for solving the Korean Peninsula problems, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday delivering a keynote address at the opening of a session of the country’s parliament.

"Relations with Russia hold the great number of possibilities among our country’s relations with other nations," he said. "For example, last September former residents of Kunashir and Iturup islands were able for the first time to visit their ancestors’ graves there using an airliner for that purpose. Our country will deepen its ties with Russia promoting the joint economic activities on the four northern islands and the eight-point economic cooperation plan. We will consistently, one by one, implement the agreements reached with Russia. The territorial issue will be resolved and the Japanese-Russian peace treaty will be signed on that basis."

"Based on relations of deep trust with President [Vladimir] Putin, will will build cooperation relationship on various international issues, including the North Korean problem," Abe stressed. " In view of that, the prime minister noted that last December UN Security Council member-countries, including Russia and China, unanimously voted for a resolution, which, in his view, raised the sanctions against North Korea on an unprecedented level.

Russia and Japan have maintained an intense dialogue at all levels over the past few years, including regular meetings between the two countries’ leaders. The framework for the development of economic cooperation between Russia and Japan is the eight-point plan proposed by the Japanese premier in May 2016. It implies efforts to bolster ties between the two countries in the energy sector, small and medium-sized businesses, industrialization of the Far East and export base expansion. Besides, it includes a proposal to boost cooperation in cutting-edge technologies, including nuclear power, and in humanitarian exchanges. Russia and Japan also hold consultations on developing specific economic cooperation projects on the southern part of the Kuril Islands.