Regional level Russian-Japanese ties not sufficient

The Russian-Japanese ties on the regional level are not sufficient, Russian president's plenipotentiary representative in the Far Eastern federal district Konstantin Pulikovsky told journalists.

"The exchange of commodities and capitals between Japan and Russia is the weakest section in the system of bilateral relations between the G8 countries, or the leading states of the North-East Asia. For instance, the volume of the Japanese-Russian trade makes up one-fortieth part of the Japan-USA trade turnover and one-twentieth of trade between Japan and China, Pulikovsky said.

He hopes that this tendency will be overcome. "Our economic relations should be more active for the Japanese capital to be purposefully invested in the Russian Far East, and we guarantee the successful joint application of the capital and joint work," Pulikovsky continued.

The Russian government delegation headed by prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov will visit Japan in mid-December. The press service of RIA Novosti plenipotentiary mission announced that Konstantin Pulikovsky is a member of the Russian delegation.

It was reported earlier that Mikhail Kasyanov, during his forthcoming visit to Japan, is going to discuss the participation of the Japanese companies in the development of oil and gas deposits in Eastern Siberia and in building the pipes system.

"I look forward to such a discussion," Kasyanov told journalists.

According to the prime minister, the Japanese side has already expressed interest in this sphere, but no specific proposals were made so far.

Kasyanov also announced that a document on rendering assistance to Russian and Japanese investors will be signed during the visit.

He also said that the issue of the Kuril islands, if it is discussed at all during the visit, will be no more than the confirmation of the two countries' stances. "Our positions are known and are not agitating any longer," Kasyanov stated.

The border cooperation issue will also be touched upon during the visit. The prime minister believes that Russian-Japanese collaboration in the Primorye territory and on the Sakhalin Island could be more intensive. He said that the Japanese side does not dovetail economic cooperation with the Kuril Islands status.