TOKYO, January 21. /TASS/. Residents of Japan’s port city of Maizuru are on top of excitement as a Russian visiting antisubmarine warfare ship invites them onboard for a sightseeing tour, the Russian embassy in Japan told TASS on Saturday.

Russia’s large antisubmarine warfare ships Admiral Tributs and Admiral Panteleyev and the large sea tanker Boris Butoma of the Russian Pacific Fleet are visiting Japan’s Maizuru.

"Today, the Admiral Tributs opens doors for sightseeing tours - we can see a very long line of those who want to get onboard," the embassy said.

The Russian diplomatic representation, said during the visit, had been meetings with Maizuru’s commandant, the mayor and with command of Japan’s Hyuga helicopter carrier. "The conversation was in a very friendly atmosphere," the embassy said. On Sunday, Russian and Japanese sailors will meet at sports competitions.

The Russian-Japanese SAREX naval exercise is due on Monday.

Pacific Fleet’s long voyage

The Pacific Fleet’s warships left Vladivostok for a long voyage in October, 2016. They have visited Indonesia, where they participated in the International arms show Indodefense-2016, Thailand’s Sattahip port, and in mid-December, the group stopped in India, where together with Indian warships they practiced an encounter battle in the Bay of Bengal in the Indra Navy-2016 joint drills. The Indian side was represented by three combat ships, a submarine and shipborne aircraft and helicopters. The maneuvers in India lasted for three days. On the way back home, the Pacific Fleet’s group paid a good-will visit to Manila, and in early January was received in South Korea’s Busan.