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Good afternoon.

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Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Prime Minister,

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These talks with Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe were 

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constructive in nature.

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Let me say right away that both sides showed their desire to continue 

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developing our mutually advantageous and multifaceted cooperation.

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Japan is an important and promising partner for Russia and we are ready 

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to work together to settle all issues,

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even the most complicated ones in our bilateral relations based 

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on the principles of mutual respect, equality,

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and consideration of each other’s interests.

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Today, first in a narrow format,

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and then with the participation of key ministers and heads of big 

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companies, we discussed in detail the current state of Russian-Japanese 

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ties, examined the results of implementing the agreements reached 

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during my visit to Japan last December,

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and outlined our immediate and longer-term cooperation priorities.

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Mr Abe and I noted with satisfaction that our bilateral 

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contacts have intensified of late.

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Thus, the 2+2 meetings between our foreign and defence ministers have 

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resumed, our security councils are developing their dialogue,

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and there is growing cooperation between our parliaments.

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It is good to see that after undergoing a downturn,

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our economic cooperation is now picking up again.

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In January and February this year,

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we saw growth in our bilateral trade.

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Total Japanese investment in Russia is growing too.

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In 2015, it came to 1.3 billion, and last year, it reached 1.7 billion.

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The Intergovernmental Commission has coordinated and is implementing 

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an ambitious joint action plan and an overall list of 80 priority 

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projects in industry, agriculture, the infrastructure, innovation,

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small business, and humanitarian exchanges.

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The new Russian-Japanese Investment Fund with a capital of $1 billion 

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will provide financial support for carrying out our 

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bilateral business initiatives.

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The Investment Agency and the Far East Development Fund,

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together with the Japanese International Cooperation Bank,

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will help with investment in Russia’s Far East.

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Of course, we discussed in detail with our Japanese partners 

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the deepening of our cooperation in the strategic energy sector.

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Russia is a reliable energy supplier for Japan and accounts for around 

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8 percent of Japan’s domestic liquefied natural gas market.

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Japanese business, for its part,

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is involved in developing the Sakhalin-1 and Sakhalin-2 oil and gas 

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fields and in building a liquefied natural gas plant 

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on the Yamal Peninsula.

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I spoke with Prime Minister Abe about our joint plans to build 

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the Sakhalin-Hokkaido gas pipeline,

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an energy bridge for electricity supplies from Russia to Japan,

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and to work together on renewable and non-traditional energy sources.

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The implementation of these promising projects will give Japanese 

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consumers new energy resources delivered via the shortest 

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routes and at affordable prices.

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There are good prospects for our cooperation in the nuclear 

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energy sector. Russia is ready to help Japan to rebuild the Fukushima-1 

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nuclear power plant and offers cutting edge technology for cleaning up 

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contaminated soil and treating radioactive waste.

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During the talks, we discussed deeper industrial cooperation.

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Russia today offers a highly comfortable environment for attracting 

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advanced technology and developing innovative new production.

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The special economic zones in the priority development areas in the Far 

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East offer investors tax holidays and simplified administrative 

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procedures, and the state authorities are financing 

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infrastructure modernisation.

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We hope that our Japanese partners will make full use 

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of these unique opportunities.

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This will give them not only direct access to the Russian market but 

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also to consumers in the Eurasian Economic Union and the CIS.

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We look forward to active participation by Japanese companies 

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and the Japanese banking sector in Russia’s biggest economic forums,

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the St Petersburg Forum and the Eastern Forum.

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We value Japan’s decision to take part in the INNOPROM 2017 

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international industrial fair in Yekaterinburg as a partner country.

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We welcome renewed activity in our interregional ties.

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This visit saw the signing of a cooperation agreement between Krasnodar 

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Territory and Yamaguti Prefecture,

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thereby taking implementation of the Japanese Prime Minister’s personal 

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initiative that he put forward last December into its final stage.

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We noted an increase in cultural and humanitarian exchanges.

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The Russian Seasons festival will open in Japan in June.

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It will reach out to 40 towns with a total of 250 different events.

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They will bring to the Japanese public some of the best samples 

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of Russian culture and art.

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I was very happy when Prime Minister Abe kindly agreed to take part 

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in the opening of this festival in Tokyo.

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Next year, we have agreed to hold reciprocal years 

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of Russia and Japan in our countries.

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Of course, we discussed the peace treaty issue.

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A solution to this issue must be in the strategic interests of both 

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countries and be accepted by both peoples.

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In this context, we discussed the possibilities for joint economic 

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activity in the Southern Kuril Islands,

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as was agreed with Mr Abe when I was in Tokyo last December.

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We agreed to continue the joint work and will soon put together a list 

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of priority projects.

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A trip by Japanese businesspeople and officials to the South Kuril 

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Islands will be organised this summer to study specific 

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cooperation opportunities.

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Russia will also organise direct flights for former Japanese residents 

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of the islands to visit their family graves.

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Mr Abe and I have discussed solutions to these humanitarian 

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issues on many occasions now.

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He raised these issues and I agree with him that we should settle them.

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I hope that this will help to build greater trust 

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and mutual understanding between our countries.

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Of course, we also gave much attention to international issues.

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We discussed cooperation in multilateral organisations,

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particularly the UN and its Security Council,

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where Japan is a non-permanent member [in 2016–2017].

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We discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula, which,

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we both agreed, has degraded considerably,

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to our regret. We call on all countries involved in the region’s 

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affairs to refrain from militaristic rhetoric and work towards calm 

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and constructive dialogue.

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We see swift resumption of the six-party talks as our common task.

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

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and to our Japanese colleagues for this engaged 

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and business-like discussion.

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We agreed to continue our contacts in Vladivostok on the sidelines 

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of the third Eastern Economic Forum,

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and I hope to have another chance to meet at the G20 summit in Hamburg.

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Thank you for your attention.

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I am pleased to be able to visit Moscow four years after my last visit.

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I wholeheartedly thank President Putin and the Russian 

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people for their warm hospitality.

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First, I would like to express my grief over the barbaric terrorist 

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attack in the St Petersburg metro,

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as well as my sympathy to those who were wounded,

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and to wish them a speedy recovery.

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This kind of terrorist act is an attack against all of humanity,

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and I strongly condemn it.

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In these difficult times, Japan is with you,

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Russia. Japan, together with Russia and the international community,

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will make its contribution to the fight against terrorism.

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In December 2016, I welcomed President Putin in Nagato. It was snowing.

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In my home town, President Putin read a letter written by former 

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residents of the islands, former residents of the northern territories,

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the four northern islands, in which they shared their pain 

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and innermost thoughts.

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President Putin's eyes were focused and serious.

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I still remember very well the expression in your eyes 

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and the way you looked.

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People wrote, ”I want to be able to freely visit the grave 

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of my ancestors, my native land,

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and I want to greet the morning in my small homeland.“

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It was decided for the first time in history 

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(at the news conference, President Putin frankly admitted that he was 

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deeply moved by that letter) to arrange a flight for the families 

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of former residents of the islands to visit the graves 

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of their relatives. I want former residents of the islands to visit 

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the graves of their ancestors on Kunashir and Iturup 

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on a fine day in June.

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For many years, there has been only one point of entry and departure,

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but now the number of such points will increase.

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We agreed that such a point would open near the islands 

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of Habomai this year. I would like this to happen as soon as August.

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We also had an in-depth discussion about joint economic activities 

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on the four northern islands.

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Japanese and Russian citizens will join efforts to produce fish and sea 

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urchins, and develop the unique tourist opportunities of the four 

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northern islands, including nature tourism.

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This will improve living standards and comfort for local Russian 

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citizens, and will also create many new opportunities for Japanese 

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people who will come there to engage in commerce.

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We have hopes for that and would like to create such a future together.

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As a first step, we agreed to send a delegation with representatives 

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of the government and private circles before the end of May.

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Representatives of both countries will begin to work 

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on identifying specific projects.

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We will start small and eventually achieve great success 

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in our joint economic activity.

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Our common efforts also focus on a peace treaty,

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which Vladimir and I are striving to achieve.

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This is a mutually beneficial historic attempt.

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Vladimir and I would like to strengthen mutual trust between our 

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nations using a new approach that does not rely on old 

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ideas, and conclude a peace treaty.

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Based on mutual respect and mutual benefits, as well as mutual trust,

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working hand in hand, Vladimir and I want to embark 

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on the path to concluding a peace treaty.

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As for the eight-point cooperation plan that I proposed last year 

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in Sochi, it is moving forward.

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The President and I discussed cooperation in medical care 

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and the urban environment.

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We will continue to flesh out our cooperation plans so that many 

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Russian people can actually see progress in Japanese-Russian relations.

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In 2018, the Year of Japan in Russia and the Year of Russia in Japan 

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are due to be held simultaneously.

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It is an important event for the rapid expansion of bilateral cultural 

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ties and we hope that through culture more Japanese people will come 

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to appreciate Russia and more Russian people will feel even 

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greater affinity for the Japanese.

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Vladimir, in my hometown, Nagato,

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we declared our honest determination to resolve the issue of a peace 

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treaty with our own hands.

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Four months have passed since then and I have come 

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to Moscow, fulfilling my promise.

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During these four months tangible,

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step-by-step progress has been made toward our shared goal.

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Based on the Nagato agreement, we will intensify these 

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steps toward our ultimate goal.

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At today’s meeting with the President,

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we discussed the North Korea issue for quite a long time.

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Russia is a permanent member of the UN Security Council 

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and an important partner of the six-party talks.

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President Putin and I agreed that Japan and Russia will continue their 

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close cooperation and urge North Korea to fully comply with UN Security 

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Council resolutions and refrain from further provocative action.

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The world is faced with challenging issues such as the situation 

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in Syria and the fight against terrorism,

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which cannot be resolved without Russia’s constructive role.

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We had a serious and frank discussion about how Japan and Russia should 

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cooperate in the international community.

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Vladimir and I have agreed about the next one-on-one meeting during 

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the G20 summit in Hamburg in July.

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I am also looking forward to meeting him at the Eastern Economic Forum 

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in Vladivostok in September.

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This year, we will take advantage of all opportunities to move 

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Japanese-Russian relations forward in a large number of areas.

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I am reaffirming this commitment now.

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Thank you.