Naryshkin favors further growth of Russia-Japan relations
TOKYO. May 21 (Interfax) - State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin has asked Tokyo to ignore appeals to pause Russia-Japan relations.
"Someone thinks we should take a break and put aside our extensive plans. I maintain an opposite viewpoint: we should focus on the most essential issue - the inherent value of our relations," Naryshkin, who is paying a working visit to Japan, said at the Third Russian-Japanese Forum on Thursday.
The theme of the Forum is "Points of Contact: Business, Investment, Sport."
According to Naryshkin, Russia and Japan have great potential for bolstering their cooperation, and it is important to heed signals coming from the public, businessmen and academics.
Actions of certain countries, which are situated thousands of kilometers away from Russia and Japan, have been obstructing cooperation between Moscow and Tokyo, Naryshkin said.
He highlighted economic contacts as a vehicle for bilateral relations. "We admire the determination of the Japanese business community to implement trade and investment projects in Russia, including those on a large scale," Naryshkin said.
He added that Japanese entrepreneurs were ready to concentrate on industrial cooperation.
"An interest of companies in both countries in high-tech sectors, including the car industry, telecommunications and energy, has been on the rise," Naryshkin said.
He mentioned a number of major projects and expressed the opinion that "Russia and Japan could strengthen their positions on the global market and grow stronger through pooling their competitive advantages."
