Japan-Russia cooperation important for security in Asia - Japanese expert

TOKYO, November 9. /TASS/. The defence cooperation between Japan and Russia is of major importance for improvement of the regional security in Asia, Shinji Hyodo, Director of Regional Studies Department at the Japanese National Institute for Defense Studies, said in a lecture on Monday. "Exchange of information about the security situation in East Asia between Russia and Japan is of major importance," he said. "It is especially true in relation to various views on the situation in the Korean Peninsula and on China’s growing activities." "Military exchanges are also important for improvement of trust," he told TASS. "Japan should realise what is important for Russia from the strategic point of view," the expert said. "For example, Tokyo has a narrow view on the problem of the so-called ‘Northern Territories’ (this is how the Japanese call the South Kuril Islands - TASS)." "Russia refers to Kurils along with the Arctic, thus Japan should have a wider view and realise why Russia wants to build up the military presence in that region, not only on those islands," the Japanese expert said. Read more