Japan and Russia are discussing almost 100 economic co-operation projects as they prepare to negotiate over four disputed islands at a high stakes summit in December.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Hiroshige Seko, Japan’s minister for economy, trade and industry, said the Japanese side had put forward tens of projects and the Russian side had come forward with almost 70.
“Right now, officials at various ministries are working with their Russian counterparts to firm these projects up, and check which ones are viable,” said Mr Seko, before a weekend trip to Moscow for talks with Russian ministries. “There’s huge energy going into coordinating this.”