Russian surface action force to visit Japan

A surface action force of the Russian Pacific Fleet is leaving for Japan on a friendly visit on Wednesday. The force includes guards missile cruiser Varyag, diesel submarine Varshavyanka and a high-speed missile boat.

RIA Novosti learned from the press-centre of the Pacific Fleet on Wednesday that the Russian seamen will be offered a busy and variegated program in Japan. The 8th naval symposium of countries of the Western part of the Pacific will be held in Tokyo on October 9-10, at which special attention will be paid to international cooperation at sea. Admiral Viktor Fedorov, commander of the Pacific Fleet will take part in that representative forum.

The Russian action force has been invited to attend the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Japan's marine self-defence force. An international naval parade will be held to mark that event on October 13 in the Tokyo Bay, in which about 50 vessels will take part, including 25 from 15 countries.

On the last day of the visit the Russian navy men till take part in international naval exercises in rendering assistance to vessels in distress.

Apart from that, during the Russian seamen's visit to the Yokosuka naval base they will be made acquainted with the history, culture and traditions of Japan, visit museums and places of interest, meet with the residents and take part in sports tournaments.

The current visit of the Russian vessels is the fourth one in the past five years. In the summer of 1977 the Admiral Vinogradov anti-submarine ship called on Tokyo, in 1999 the Admiral Panteleyev anti-submarine ship visited the Yokosuka naval base, and the Admiral Tributs anti-submarine boat paid a visit to the port of Sasebo in September last year.

Beginning with 1996, Japanese navy men, in their turn, visited Vladivostok twice and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatski once.

All the visits held in the past four years ended in Russian-Japanese exercises practising the rendering of assistance to ships in distress.