TOKYO, April 3. /TASS/. Russia is interested in resuming direct air service with Japan, though the ball is on Tokyo’s side, Russian Ambassador to Japan Nikolay Nozdrev said in an interview with TASS, adding that the reasons behind the lack of flights are political.
"Regular air service is one of integral features of normal relations between the two countries. Particularly as it is important both for our citizens and members of diplomatic missions who have to fly via transit states. Commercial air carriers, both Russian and Japanese, also have a respective interest," he said. "At the moment the ball is on the side of the Japanese authorities," the diplomat added.
"Tokyo’s reference to difficulties that may allegedly arise regarding repairs, maintenance or insurance of aircraft, are not fully consistent with reality, putting it mildly," he said. "A number of countries in the Asia-Pacific region have been successfully cooperating with Russia in the area of passenger operations for a long time already. If the Japanese side has any questions it could thoroughly explore the experience of those states," Nozdrev stressed.
Japanese airlines stopped performing flights in Russia’s air space after the start of special military operation in Ukraine.