
TOKYO: The Russian government has ordered the suspension of the country’s Japan Centers, which are financed by the Japanese government, local media reported in Japan.
The Japan Centers were established to provide technical support to Russia and promote economic exchanges between Japan and Russia. They have served as a bridge between the two countries by conducting Japanese language courses and matching Japanese and Russian companies.
A government document from Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin ordering the suspension of the Japan Centers was made public on January 17, Japanese media reported.
The Japan Centers were established in 2003 in an agreement between the Japanese and Russian governments with the aim of providing infrastructure technical support and developing human resources through Japanese language education. They have been set up in six cities, including Moscow and St. Petersburg.
The suspension is believed to be related to Japan’s sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
Japan has budgeted huge sums for economic cooperation in order to advance peace treaty negotiations with Russia, especially over the Northern Territories issue. The amount budgeted for activities in Russia was reportedly around 26.5 billion yen from 2016 to 2021, including 3 billion yen on training through the Japan Centers.