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Russia, Japan to hold over 30 joint activities in 2019, says defense minister

Following a "two-plus-two" meeting between the two states’ foreign, defense ministers, Sergei Shoigu said that in particular, the sides had agreed to continue conducting joint maritime rescue drills

TOKYO, May 30. /TASS/. Moscow and Tokyo will hold over 30 joint activities in 2019, including a maritime rescue exercise set to take place in July, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said following a "two-plus-two" meeting between the two countries’ foreign and defense ministers in Tokyo on Thursday.

According to Shoigu, the parties "expressed willingness to carry out more than 30 joint activities in the course of defense cooperation."

Shoigu added that the parties had also agreed to continue conducting joint maritime rescue drills. The next exercise will be held in the Peter the Great Gulf in July.

The Russian defense minister pointed out that Moscow placed great importance on Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Nikolai Evmenov’s upcoming visit to Japan.

Shoigu also said that the meeting took place in an open and friendly atmosphere. He noted that Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya and he had discussed defense cooperation at a bilateral meeting.

The 17th Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX), which took place in November 2017, involved Russia’s Admiral Vinogradov anti-submarine destroyer, the Alatau rescue tugboat and the BGK-2151 hydrographic boat, as well as Japan’s Hamagiri destroyer.

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