ULAN UDE, August 21 /TASS/. Japan wants to develop special economic zones in Russia’s Siberia and the Far East, Sakurada Yoshitaka, a deputy of Japan’s House of Representatives, told the IV Baikal Dialogue international forum that opened in Ulan Ude, the capital of the Russian Republic of Buryatia, on Friday.

The development of Siberia and the Far East is vital for development of the entire Asia-Pacific region, including Japan, not only in the sphere of energy supplies but also in logistics, the Japanese deputy said. He added that Siberia and the Far East could turn into a huge logistics artery connecting Europe to the Asia-Pacific Region.

Yoshitaka said that Japanese companies closely watched the development of the Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts. "They are showing interest and could make their contribution to development of special economic zones," the Japanese deputy went on to say.

His colleague Onishi Hideo said that the Trans-Siberian Railway could become a link between various continents during the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The annual Baikal Dialogue forum is meeting for the fourth time to discuss economic cooperation and ecological security of Siberia, the Far East and the Asia-Pacific Region. Deputies from Russia, Japan and Mongolia are attending this year’s forum, which is taking place in the territory of two Siberian districts.

The Baikal Dialogue that opened in Ulan Ude, Buryatia, on Friday, will move to Chita, the capital of Russia’s Trans-Baikal region, for the weekend.