The Japanese and Russian governments plan to promote sea urchin farming and greenhouse cultivation of strawberries as part of joint economic activities in the northern territories, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.
The Japanese government will dispatch a public-private research team to the northern territories as early as this summer to draw up business plans. The governments are making arrangements toward an agreement during a summit meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin scheduled for Saturday in Moscow.
The Japanese government hopes to deepen a relationship of trust with Russia through the joint activities, ultimately leading to conclusion of a peace treaty and return of the northern territories. The government aims to start the projects at an early date.
The joint economic activities will be implemented through funding by companies and other entities of both countries. The two leaders agreed at their December 2016 meeting to start discussions on the activities. They also agreed at their September 2017 meeting to put a priority on implementation of projects in five fields, including joint aquaculture of marine products and greenhouse cultivation of vegetables.
As a result of working-level discussions that followed the agreements, the two sides have agreed to look for the promotion of sea urchin farming and greenhouse cultivation of strawberries. They will continue discussions toward promotion of the remaining three fields -- the development of sightseeing tours, the introduction of wind power generation and measures to reduce garbage.
The next public-private research team will be the third one dispatched to the northern territories following ones in June-July and October last year. As the contents of the projects have been decided, the research team is expected to conduct a detailed survey, including the narrowing down of candidate sites and analysis of investment effects.
However, little progress has been made in discussions on a "special system" that does not undermine the legal positions of both Japan and Russia, a prerequisite for joint economic activities. The Japanese government hopes to accelerate such discussions by taking advantage of the upcoming summit meeting.
During the summit meeting, the two leaders are expected to confirm that they will realize flights for former residents to visit their family graves in the northern territories this year, following similar visits in September 2017, as well as realize progress on the eight-item economic cooperation plan, including urban development and medical assistance.
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