NEWS : Japan, Russia seek progress on economic partnership before summit

November 4, 2016 MOSCOW -- Japanese and Russian ministers agreed Thursday to work on roughly 30 economic cooperation measures ahead of a summit next month, part of Tokyo's efforts to lay the groundwork for settling a long-standing territorial dispute.
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Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko discussed the issue here with Russian officials including Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev. The private-sector projects are based on an eight-point economic cooperation plan proposed in May by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
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The two sides agreed to have the specifics of the projects drawn up before Russian President Vladimir Putin travels to Japan next month. They will also hash out by Nov. 18 plans for government-led projects such as urban environmental improvement measures in the southwestern city of Voronezh and the training of Russian engineers.
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"Improving the economic relationship between Japan and Russia will of course be a major, important foundation for negotiating a peace treaty," Seko told reporters after the meeting. The two countries have yet to sign a treaty formally ending their World War II hostilities, leaving unresolved the question of ownership of the Russian-controlled southernmost Kuril Islands, which Japan claims as the Northern Territories.
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Seko and Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak agreed to work together on oil and gas development as well as decommissioning the disaster-stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor.
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Seko handed a personal letter from Abe to Putin aide Yury Ushakov. The missive, addressed to Putin, expressed Abe's hope for breaking ground on a new bilateral relationship via economic cooperation. The Japanese minister also spoke with First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, handing him a letter from Abe to Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
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TAKASHI NAKANO and TAKAYUKI TANAKA, Nikkei staff writers

November 4, 2016 MOSCOW -- Japanese and Russian ministers agreed Thursday to work on roughly 30 economic cooperation measures ahead of a summit next month, part of Tokyo's efforts to lay the groundwork for settling a long-standing territorial dispute.
.
Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko discussed the issue here with Russian officials including Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev. The private-sector projects are based on an eight-point economic cooperation plan proposed in May by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
.
The two sides agreed to have the specifics of the projects drawn up before Russian President Vladimir Putin travels to Japan next month. They will also hash out by Nov. 18 plans for government-led projects such as urban environmental improvement measures in the southwestern city of Voronezh and the training of Russian engineers.
.
"Improving the economic relationship between Japan and Russia will of course be a major, important foundation for negotiating a peace treaty," Seko told reporters after the meeting. The two countries have yet to sign a treaty formally ending their World War II hostilities, leaving unresolved the question of ownership of the Russian-controlled southernmost Kuril Islands, which Japan claims as the Northern Territories.
.
Seko and Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak agreed to work together on oil and gas development as well as decommissioning the disaster-stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor.
.
Seko handed a personal letter from Abe to Putin aide Yury Ushakov. The missive, addressed to Putin, expressed Abe's hope for breaking ground on a new bilateral relationship via economic cooperation. The Japanese minister also spoke with First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, handing him a letter from Abe to Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
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TAKASHI NAKANO and TAKAYUKI TANAKA, Nikkei staff writers