MOSCOW, September 1. /TASS/. Russia wants to understand Japan's vision of its military commitments to the United States, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a speech before students and instructors of MGIMO University on Tuesday.

"We want to establish a professional dialogue on the issues of security in the region where Russia borders with the Japanese islands," Russia’s top diplomat noted.

"We want to understand Japan's vision of its commitments to the United States in the military sphere in a situation when the US has officially declared Russia its adversary," Lavrov said.

"The Japanese say they will never do anything together with Americans against Russia but they [Japan and the US] have a close alliance while the United States considers us as its adversary. There is something to speak about," the Russian foreign minister said.

"Transparency is important in the issues of security. This implies not only considering specific situations that arise in our common region, especially in the context of the Japanese-American military alliance but also close coordination of interaction in international organizations," Lavrov said.

Russian-Japanese interaction

As Lavrov pointed out, "Russia stands for boosting Russian-Japanese prospects." "We want them to be bright and strong. We propose that we start with developing interaction in all areas without exception, including the economy, the scientific and technical sphere, scientific technologies, culture, educational and humanitarian spheres and joint projects, in particular, on the Kuril Islands," the Russian foreign minister said.

So far, contradictions remain in Russia’s relations with Japan, Lavrov noted.

"Japan joined the sanctions, which restricts economic cooperation, and looks back at other Western countries, primarily, the United States, when it comes to joint production in the sphere of nanotechnologies and other hi-tech spheres," the Russian foreign minister pointed out.

"Regrettably, Japan votes against Russia when the UN considers and holds voting on problematic resolutions," Lavrov said.

Speaking about the resignation of Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia’s top diplomat noted that the relations between them "were truly friendly and mutually respectful and were based on their personal sympathy."

"No matter how the situation with the election of the leader to the post of the chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the elections of the new prime minister may end, we are ready together with our Japanese neighbors for maximally close cooperation in all these areas," the Russian foreign minister stressed.

"We have progress in joint economic activity on the southern Kuril Islands, even if it is not as quick as we would want. These are the projects that are bringing benefits to people living there and companies involved in these projects," Russia’s top diplomat said.

"We are also ready to move by small steps but the key task of raising the relationship to a qualitatively and principally new and positive level always remains," Lavrov concluded.