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Mr Prime Minister, ladies and gentlemen,

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We hold meetings with Mr Abe on a regular basis.

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You may have noticed, this is our second meeting this year,

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and the Prime Minister’s second visit to Russia.

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The Prime Minister of Japan is always accompanied by a representative 

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delegation of official and business circles.

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This was the case at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum 

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in which about 150 leading Japanese entrepreneurs took part together 

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with the Prime Minister.

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Now members of the Japanese Government,

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representatives of prefectures and several hundred major Japanese 

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companies have arrived in Vladivostok with Mr Abe.

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I would like to thank our Japanese partners for their high interest 

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in developing mutually beneficial cooperation,

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and a striving to expand versatile contacts in the economy,

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politics and the humanitarian area.

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I would like to note that Japan is an important 

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and reliable partner for Russia.

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We continue to develop Russian-Japanese cooperation based 

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on the principles of good neighbourliness,

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mutual respect and reciprocal consideration for each other’s interests.

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Our countries are engaged in intensive political dialogue.

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On July 31 our foreign and defence ministers held talks 

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in the “two plus two” format.

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Today’s talks with the Prime Minister took place in a business-like 

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and constructive atmosphere.

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We discussed in detail major bilateral issues,

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paying much attention to the prospects for expanding trade,

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economic and investment cooperation.

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I would like to note that bilateral trade grew 14 percent last year 

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and another 20 percent in the first six months of this year,

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with the export of Russian engineering products to Japan up 

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almost 90 percent.

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Japanese companies are actively investing in the most varied segments 

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of Russian industry and agriculture.

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Total investment in the Russian economy has reached $2 billion.

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About 100 mutually beneficial joint projects are being successfully 

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implemented as part of the cooperation plan in eight areas proposed 

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by Prime Minister Abe as well as the Russian list 

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of priority investment projects.

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The Russian Direct Investment Fund and the Japan Bank for International 

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Cooperation are cooperating closely.

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The Russia-Japan investment fund they have established helps the two 

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countries’ businesses attract loans for prospective projects.

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Today the Prime Minister and I attended the launch of a new Mazda 

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Sollers plant near Vladivostok that will produce up 

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to 50,000 car engines per year.

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Energy is a main area of bilateral cooperation.

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This July, the second line of the LNG producing plant was launched 

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as part of the Yamal LNG project with the participation 

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of Japanese companies.

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The construction of the third line with a total capacity 

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of 16.5 million tonnes is underway.

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We are working on the possible involvement of our Japanese partners 

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to the Sakhalin-2, Arctic LNG-2 and Baltic LNG projects as well 

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as to the construction of an LNG handling terminal 

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in the Kamchatka Territory.

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Russian and Japanese businesses work together in the exploration 

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of the Ichedinsky oil field in the Irkutsk Region.

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Cooperation in the nuclear sphere is also expanding.

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Russian experts are developing detectors to search for and identify 

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damaged fuel as part of the response to the aftermath 

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of the Fukushima 1 nuclear disaster.

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Our joint activities in the spheres of energy efficiency and renewable 

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energy sources are also developing dynamically.

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Japanese companies are participating in the construction of advanced 

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transport infrastructure in Russia.

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Russian Railways together with its Japanese colleagues have begun test 

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runs for container shipping along the Trans-Siberian Railway.

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I hope that after they are successfully completed we will be able 

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to significantly increase the volume of Russian cargo sent to Europe.

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Cultural and humanitarian ties are also progressing.

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This May, Mr Abe and I launched the Year of Russia in Japan 

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and the Year of Japan in Russia.

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This is a unique, large-scale project our countries are 

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implementing for the first time.

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The programme includes over 400 events dedicated to culture, art,

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science, youth exchanges and public organisations.

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Our sports contacts continue to grow.

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In October and November in Japan,

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Russian athletes will be demonstrating Russian martial arts.

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The day after tomorrow, on September 12,

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Mr Prime Minister and I plan to welcome the winners 

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of the Far East Tall Ships Regatta 2018.

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We will also attend the international junior judo tournament dedicated 

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to the memory of the famous Soviet athlete Vasily Oshchepkov,

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a pioneer of sports exchanges between our countries in martial arts.

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We have of course tackled the peace treaty issue during the talks.

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As you know, this issue has remained unresolved for many decades and it 

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would be naive to believe that it could be settled overnight.

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But we are ready to search for solutions that will suit both Russia 

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and Japan and will be acceptable for the people of both countries.

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In this context, we have noted some success in developing joint 

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economic activities in the Southern Kurils and are satisfied with 

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the progress in coordinating roadmaps for the implementation 

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of projects in five approved areas: aquaculture, greenhouse farms,

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wind energy, package tours and waste management.

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We also continue to discuss with our Japanese colleagues the free 

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cross-border movement of residents of the neighbouring regions.

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We agreed to organise the third Japanese business mission 

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to the Southern Kuril Islands by the end of this year,

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followed by a fourth round of talks on joint economic activities,

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where the results of this trip will be summed up, among other things.

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To meet our Japanese partners halfway,

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we have simplified the procedure for the visiting of family graves 

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in the Southern Kurils by former Japanese residents,

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something Mr Prime Minister repeatedly mentioned at our 

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previous meetings.

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Mr Abe and I exchanged views on important current international issues,

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including ensuring security and stability in the entire 

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Asia-Pacific region.

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Particular attention was paid to the developments 

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on the Korean Peninsula.

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We intend to continue close contact to promote the inter-Korean 

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dialogue and resolution of all political and diplomatic 

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disagreements there.

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In conclusion, I would like to express my gratitude to Mr Prime 

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Minister and all of our Japanese colleagues for the business-like 

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and substantive discussion.

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As I mentioned, we have a number of other events planned with Mr Abe,

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including the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum.

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I am confident that this busy visit of the Japanese Prime Minister 

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to Russia will give a fresh impetus to bilateral relations,

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which will continue to expand in the spirit of partnership 

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and cooperation.

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Thank you.

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This is the third consecutive year that I have visited Vladivostok 

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where the azure sea and blue skies sparkle with dazzling beams.

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Participation in the Eastern Economic Forum and my meetings with 

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President Putin in September are becoming a good tradition.

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Regrettably, after 70 years there are still outstanding issues between 

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Japan and Russia but President Putin and I would like to resolve them.

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We confirmed our common position in my homeland of Nagato.

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For two years we have been striving to resolve this common 

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issue step by step.

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We take different measures on the four northern islands in order 

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to pursue joint public activities.

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President Putin and I have chosen five candidates for projects.

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After exactly a year, at today’s meeting,

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we have endorsed a roadmap for implementing our projects: increasing 

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sea products, tourism, electricity generation,

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and waste processing, five projects in all.

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President Putin and I have now decided how to resolve these issues 

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and carry out these projects.

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A realistic way to implement them is taking shape.

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We will hold a business mission to discuss implementation 

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in early October. This will be a major step forward.

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We will continue resolving the issues related to the visits 

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of the islands by the former residents, taking into account their needs.

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In July, former residents paid a second visit to the burial 

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sites of their relatives.

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I am grateful to our Russian colleagues for the work they did on this.

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We had to overcome some difficulties but we made it happen 

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and continue working together on this.

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The situation is changing for the better.

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What was impossible is now happening.

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The characteristics of Japanese-Russian cooperation are changing our 

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approaches, and we can do these things without encroaching 

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on the legal positions of either side.

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As we gain more experience we are moving towards our common goal with 

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the President – the peace treaty.

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We want to resolve this issue through our efforts.

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This is a goal for our generation.

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President Putin and I will do everything we can to achieve this.

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The cooperation between military agencies and border services plays 

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an important role in strengthening trust.

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The Chief of Staff of the Japan Self-Defence Forces is expected 

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to visit Russia this October.

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We will cooperate closely in addressing such threats 

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as terrorism and drugs.

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We have had an open discussion on North Korea.

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The international community must strictly comply with the UN Security 

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Council resolution to make it completely abandon nuclear weapons.

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We will continue to honestly cooperate with Russia.

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I have explained Japan’s position to Vladimir Putin.

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Japan believes that if we solve the issues related to abductions 

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of Japanese citizens and nuclear problems together we would be able 

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to draw a line under our unfortunate past and normalise diplomatic 

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relations; we would be able to provide economic aid to North Korea.

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I would like to note once again that in order to do this we must solve 

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the problem of the North Korea’s abductions of Japanese citizens,

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and I received the President’s understanding and support.

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I would like to think about other opportunities to develop our 

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cooperation here, in this city to which President Putin attaches much 

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importance, among Japanese and Russian businesspeople.

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During my visit to Russia this May,

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President Putin and I launched the first-ever cross years 

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of Japan and Russia. The programme includes Kabuki theatre,

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art exhibitions, Yabusame and other numerous events.

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Many Japanese football fans who came to Russia to watch 2018 FIFA World 

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Cup matches still hold in their hearts the amazement and unforgettable 

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impressions of Russian hospitality and our national teams’ 

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remarkable performances.

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This year is a good year ˗ both Japanese and Russian people are showing 

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more interest in each other than ever.

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New measures will be taken this October to ease visa requirements 

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for Russian tourist groups.

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This is what the slogan of the Year of Japan in Russia 

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calls for: There is a Japan You Don’t Know.

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I am eager to step up these humanitarian exchanges.

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Two years ago in Vladivostok I suggested that we monitor 

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the implementation of the eight-item cooperation plan in the city.

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Over 150 projects have been launched.

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Rehab centres have opened in the Far East and rapid communication 

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services have been put in place.

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Thus, one project is being carried out after another.

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President Putin and I visited the Mazda engine plant and saw 

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the assembled engines that will be exported to different 

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countries in Japanese cars.

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So, I can see wonderful images of future urban development in the city.

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Today we exchanged diplomatic notes for the entry into force 

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of the Japan-Russia convention on avoiding double taxation.

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I would like to welcome this agreement,

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which will be effective this October.

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I would like to assure you on behalf of the Government that we are 

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ready to create conditions for the further promotion of economic ties.

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We coordinated issues on restoring the meetings of Japanese and Russian 

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governors that have not been held in a long time.

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Our local government bodies that did not contact before have started 

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cooperating and communicating.

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I would also like to welcome the increase of this new communication.

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Japan and Russia do have a complicated issue,

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but it is possible to hold a difficult conversations with you because 

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we enjoy mutual trust.

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It is quite possible to find a mutually acceptable solution 

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with you. I believe in this.

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We will meet on the sidelines of various international conferences.

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We will meet at the G20 forum in Osaka in June and will close our 

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cultural cross years together in Tokyo. We have just agreed to do this.

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I will do everything I can for every meeting with you to be productive.

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I wish every success to the Eastern Economic Forum. Good luck!

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Thank you.