Japan, Russia to Spur Working-Level Talks on Joint Isle Projects

Tokyo, Feb. 6 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese and Russian governments agreed at a vice-ministerial meeting on Tuesday to accelerate working-level talks on proposed joint economic activities on four Russian-held islands at the center of the two countries' longstanding territorial dispute. At the meeting in Tokyo, the two sides shared updates about the ongoing work to draw up joint projects on tourism, wind power, aquaculture, greenhouse vegetable production and waste reduction by around the spring. The two governments agreed to spur the work by holding a working-level session of bureau-chief-level officials at an early date. Both sides are working to reach an accord on the matter at a planned meeting in Russia in May between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "We'll energetically promote the work," Japanese Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Takeo Mori told reporters after the day's meeting. From the Russian side, Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov attended the Tokyo meeting. The two sides also agreed to arrange a visit by former Japanese islanders by air to their families' graves on the islands this year, again. Such a visit was realized for the first time last year. Meanwhile, the Japanese side protested Russia's decision to make an airport on Etorofu, one of the four disputed islands, available for both military and civilian use. The four islands, called the Northern Territories in Japan, were seized by Soviet troops in the closing days of World War II. The territorial row has prevented Tokyo and Moscow from concluding a peace treaty that formally ends their wartime hostilities. END