Tokyo welcomes Russia integration in Asia-Pacific

TOKYO (Itar-Tass) - The Japanese government welcomes
Russia's growing interest to the Asia-Pacific Region (APR) and is ready to
assist it in holding a Pacific summit in Vladivostok in 2012. Tokyo
believes that the integration of the Far East and Siberia into the Pacific
meets the interests of this vast region, Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji
Maehara said in an exclusive interview with Itar-Tass on the eve of his
trip to Moscow on Thursday.
"Japan," he said, "welcomes the deepening of Russia's interest in
rapidly developing Asia-Pacific region. Promoting the integration of
Russia's Far East and Siberia into the Pacific through the
Japanese-Russian cooperation meets the interests of not only our two
countries, but also the whole region."
"If you look from Moscow, Japan is located far to the east," Maehara
continued. "And the Asia-Pacific region, where Japan is located, is
becoming the world economy centre. Russia is also an APR member. In 2012,
Russia will for the first time host an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC) summit in Vladivostok. It will be a significant step forward in
terms of Russia's contribution to the development of the APR. Japan is
also ready to assist in holding his event."
"There are also many other spheres with major potential for our
bilateral cooperation. They include a stable supply of energy resources
within the framework of the Sakhalin projects and through the Eastern
Siberia - Pacific Ocean (ESPO) oil pipeline, linking of Asia and Europe
through the development of land transportation routes with the use of the
Trans-Siberian railway, contributing to climate change and ecology issues.
Japan is ready for mutually beneficial cooperation with Russia in various
spheres," the minister stressed.