Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Foreign ministers of Japan and Russia agreed on August 11 on the importance of promoting bilateral consultations in a broad range of fields addressing global issues such as climate change, saying it is a common concern of both countries.

Japan’s foreign minister MOTEGI Toshimitsu and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov also “discussed their ongoing negotiations on a peace treaty in a telephone talk for 1 hour. The talks included their joint economic activities on the Four Northern Islands, the Four-Island Exchange Program, the economy, people-to-people exchanges, and security,” an official statement in Tokyo said.

The Russian held Four Northern Islands, referred to as Kuril Islands, refer to the territorial dispute between both countries. At the end of WW2, the former Soviet army occupied the Islands. Japan, however, demands to get them back.

The two ministers also exchanged views on the expanding prospects of the Japan-Russia cooperation. They shared that Japan and Russia will continue close communication and candid discussions at various levels to develop Japan-Russia relations steadily, even amidst the impact of the coronavirus disease.