TOKYO, December 1. /TASS/. Despite the geopolitical situation, Japan’s SoftBank is not giving up the idea of creating an Asian energy ring involving Russia to connect the energy systems of the countries of the region to import electricity, Shigeki Miwa, managing director of the SoftBank project office, said in an interview with TASS.
The company hopes to implement the project within 10 years, he added.
When asked if the company is ready to cooperate with Russia, Miwa replied: "Of course, the answer is yes. Of course, it is not so easy politically, economically, technically and there are a lot of obstacles, a lot of difficulties we might encounter. But as I said it is a matter of time, it will happen."
"It might take a long time but we are going to do whatever we can, step by step. So, hopefully, within 10 years we can make it happen, I mean connecting Central Asia and Mongolia via Russia to Japan," he added.
Miwa emphasized the importance of interconnected energy systems of the countries of the region, including South Korea, China and Japan. These countries account for 75% of the region's electricity demand and 37% of global demand, he said.
He recalled that historically, the advantage of Central Asian countries is their close relationship with Russia. It is an important country, just like China and in order to build an energy system, Japan needs to work together with Russia and China. Therefore, the Central Asian states and their close proximity and ties with Russia are important in terms of Japan, he explained. Miwa also stressed that this project can not be implemented without Russia.
"It is an indispensable part of the total project, because without using Russian territory we cannot connect (Central Asian countries) to Japan," the top manager said.
At present there are not any concrete discussions about it, he noted, adding that his company wants to restart the discussion once the time is appropriate.
"It may take time but we are committed to the idea and I think we can find a solution. The right time will come," Miwa concluded.
The idea of an Asian energy ring was actively discussed as a strategic project during the period of rapid development of Russian-Japanese relations during the tenure of the late Shinzo Abe as Prime Minister of Japan.
In March 2016, representatives of Russian power company Rosseti, the Chinese China State Grid Corporation, the Korea Electric Power Corporation and the Japanese Softbank signed a memorandum in Beijing on the joint promotion of the interconnected electric power system covering Northeast Asia.