TOKYO, February 4. /TASS/. The Japanese government plans to present to Russia a plan to modernize Vladivostok’s urban infrastructure with the use of Japanese technologies, including improving traffic flow, rebuilding tourist facilities and developing areas around railway stations. The Nikkei newspaper reported on Sunday that this plan had been prepared in the run-up to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to Russia in May and will soon be handed over to the Russian side.

Tokyo decided to come up with this offer as part of the eight-point economic cooperation plan between the two countries and on the basis of the agreements reached during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Japan in December 2016. Local media note that, thanks to the implementation of the economic cooperation plan, Japan wants to help shape Russia’s more favorable stance on promoting negotiations on the southern Kuril Islands whose ownership is disputed by Tokyo.

The proposal which is being prepared by Japan implies, in particular, creating tourist infrastructure, modernization and development of areas adjacent to the city’s railway stations. In addition to that, Tokyo wants to offer repair of old sewer pipes without earthwork and building incineration facilities in accordance with Japanese patterns, which make it possible to reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere. At the same time, Russia’s proposals will likewise be taken into account when hammering out the final version of the document.

A similar project is proposed for implementation in the city of Voronezh in western European Russia.

In recent years, Russia and Japan have maintained intensive dialogue at all levels, including regular meetings between the two countries’ leaders. The basis for the development of economic cooperation between Moscow and Tokyo is the eight-point plan proposed by the Japanese prime minister in May 2016.

The document envisages stronger bilateral ties in the energy sector, small and medium-sized businesses, the industrialization of the Far East, expansion of the export base. It contains a proposal to strengthen cooperation in cutting-edge technologies, including nuclear power industry, and in humanitarian exchanges. The two countries have also held consultations on specific projects for economic cooperation in the southern part of the Kuril Islands.