5 Sep 2018 12:02

Japan, Russia agree on new time of Japanese business mission's visit to Kuril Islands - advisor

MOSCOW. Sept 5 (Interfax) - Tokyo and Moscow have agreed on a new time of the Japanese business mission's visit to the South Kuril Islands, and Tokyo is expecting the trip to happen this fall, Abe's Special Advisor Eiichi Hasegawa told Interfax.

"To our deep regret, the business mission, which was scheduled to begin on August 16, did not pay the visit because of bad weather," Hasegawa said.

"Deputy foreign ministers of our countries [Igor Morgulov of Russia and Takeo Mori of Japan] held consultations in Moscow on August 30, and I was there, too. Japan and Russia discussed a new time of the business mission, and further discussions will be based on that understanding. I conveyed Japan's wish for arranging the mission as soon as possible; for instance, we would like the visit to the islands to be paid this fall," he said.

Japan is expecting the visit to include consultations with Russian businessmen on "the purpose of business activity, the division of functions, and the generation of profit," Hasegawa said.

"We'd like to apply a future-oriented approach of Japan and Russia, which implies the joint consideration of a future image of the four islands and the search for a mutually acceptable solution," he said.