The Japanese business mission to the disputed Kuril Islands has left the port of Nemuro in Japan's northernmost Hokkaido Island, but cannot reach its destination due to high waves, the Japanese Foreign Ministry told Sputnik.
TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th August, 2018) The Japanese business mission to the disputed Kuril Islands has left the port of Nemuro in Japan's northernmost Hokkaido Island, but cannot reach its destination due to high waves, the Japanese Foreign Ministry told Sputnik.
The mission is led by Japanese prime minister's special adviser Eiichi Hasegawa. The delegation comprising entrepreneurs and officials was expected to leave for the Kuril Islands on Thursday, but had to postpone departure until Friday due to bad weather.
"According to the data that we have at the moment, the business mission has left the port of Nemuro in the morning, but the ship is forced to stop at sea due to high waves. Taking into account the weather conditions, it will be decided whether to move further or to return to the port," the ministry's spokeswoman said.
Despite the fact that the mission had already left the Japanese port, there is no clarity regarding the visit's program. When asked to provide any further details on the matter, the Japanese Foreign Ministry told Sputnik that "the sides were currently negotiating the program and content" of the mission.
The Russian-Japanese relations have long been complicated by the fact that the two nations have never signed a permanent peace treaty after the end of World War II. The deal was never reached because of a disagreement over a group of four islands that are claimed by both countries: Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and Habomai.
Following Russian President Vladimir Putin's trip to Japan in December 2016, the relations between the two nations improved, with Moscow and Tokyo agreeing to develop joint projects on the islands and facilitate movement between the Kuril Islands and Japan. Possible joint projects will cover such fields as agriculture, cultivation of vegetables in greenhouses, organization of tourist trips, hydropower, and waste recycling.
