Japanese PM says cooperation plan specified during visit to Russia

TOKYO, May 28. /TASS/. Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe believes that his May 24-27 visit to Russia made it possible to specify the two countries’ economic cooperation plan, as he himself said on Monday, while answering questions by members of the Japanese upper house’s budget committee. "We held fruitful talks with President Vladimir Putin, a number of documents were signed," Abe said. "They further specify the eight-point cooperation plan that I put forward two years ago. In accordance with this program, about 130 projects have been presented and specific agreements and contracts have been made based on half of them," the Japanese prime minister added. "We seek to work in areas that can have a direct positive impact on the Russian people’s lives," Abe pointed out. "Economic cooperation enhances mutual trust and contributes to activities aimed at developing a peace treaty between the two countries," he said. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said earlier at a Tokyo press conference that the May 26 meeting between Abe and Putin had produced specific results particularly in regard to joint economic activities on the South Kuril Islands. According to Suga, the two countries’ leaders "had a frank discussion of the North Korea issue, including the situation surrounding the meeting between the leaders of North Korea and the United States." Russia and Japan signed 11 documents following the meeting between Putin and Abe, including a joint statement specifying the current bilateral cooperation plan and a joint plan for cooperation in the area of digital economy and productivity. In addition, Russia’s Ministry of Construction and the relevant Japanese ministry signed a memorandum on interaction in the fields of construction, public utilities and urban environment, aimed at creating "smart cities." Read more