TOKYO, September 3. /TASS/. At least 200 Japanese officials and representatives of the country's business community will take part in the Russian-Japanese business dialogue, which will be held on September 5 as part of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan Hiroshige Seko said in an interview with TASS. Hiroshige Seko will be among them, as he himself confirmed.

"A roundtable is planned to be held within the framework of the forum, where representatives of business circles of Japan and Russia will participate. It will become a place for discussing the main topics on the future of the economy of the Far East. They include development of routes along the Arctic Ocean, which is closely connected with the Arctic LNG 2 project, as well as the Trans-Siberian Railway, which is being considered for promoting pilot transport services between Japan and Europe. Like last year, about 200 people will take part in the roundtable from the Japanese side," he said. "I will also take part in the Forum," Hiroshige Seko said. "I intend to meet Russian ministers and hold discussions aimed at achieving progress in cooperation projects of Japan and Russia in the economic sphere," he added.

The Minister praised the project for the construction of the second Novatek liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant Arctic LNG 2. On June 29, following the Russian-Japanese negotiations in the city of Osaka, it was announced that Novatek would sell a 10% stake in Arctic LNG 2 project to a consortium of Japanese Mitsui&Co and Jogmec, and the consortium will become the fourth shareholder of the project.

"This is the largest energy project since the days of Sakhalin-1 and Sakhalin-2, it is very symbolic for cooperation between Japan and Russia. In addition, the two countries will be involved in the development of the Northern Sea Route for transporting LNG, which will supply the growing Asian market. I am very pleased that Japanese companies will be engaged in it, and the Japanese government will support it," Seko said.

The Japanese delegation at EEF is expected to be headed by Prime Minister Shindzo Abe. It is planned that the Prime Minister will attend the EEF plenary session and have a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The fifth Eastern Economic Forum will take place in Russia’s Far Eastern city of Vladivostok on September 4-6. Roscongress Foundation is the organizer of the event. TASS news agency is the event’s general information partner, the official photo hosting agency and moderator of the presentation zone focusing on the Russian Far East’s innovation opportunities.