Japan Not to Change Spending on Activities With Russia, But Assessment Needed - Kishida

TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd March, 2022) Japan will not revise the part of the draft budget for fiscal year 2022 that concerns joint economic activities with Russia, but a detailed assessment of further actions is necessary, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said during debate in the upper house of parliament.

During the discussion, Tetsuro Fukuyama, a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, asked the prime minister whether the authorities plan to exclude part of the budget for joint economic activities with Russia from the draft budget and whether refusing to revise the budget would send a wrong message to the international community.

"As I said before, we will not review parts in the existing draft budget," Kishida said.

"It is necessary to carry out a detailed assessment regarding further actions," he also said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Monday that Moscow, in response to Tokyo's unfriendly steps, is refusing to negotiate a peace treaty with Japan, is halting visa-free travel for Japanese citizens to the southern Kuril Islands, and is withdrawing from dialogue with Japan on establishing joint economic activities in the southern Kurils.