Tokyo is mulling over the possibility of introducing a visa-free regime for Russians, partially, in an attempt to create a more favorable atmosphere for ongoing peace treaty talks with Moscow, the Sankei Shimbun newspaper reported on Friday, citing sources in the Japanese government.
TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th February, 2019) Tokyo is mulling over the possibility of introducing a visa-free regime for Russians, partially, in an attempt to create a more favorable atmosphere for ongoing peace treaty talks with Moscow, the Sankei Shimbun newspaper reported on Friday, citing sources in the Japanese government.
In January, Russia and Japan engaged in the full-scale talks aimed at signing a permanent peace treaty after the end of World War II, which the two countries have not been able to reach so far, primarily due to the dispute over the Kuril islands, claimed by both countries. In mid-January, the Russian and Japanese foreign ministers, Sergey Lavrov and Taro Kono, held their first round of peace consultations in Moscow.
The newspaper reported that Russian citizens could be allowed to stay in Japan without a visa for up to 90 days provided that they register their passports with the Japanese permanent diplomatic missions in Russia in advance. Moreover, Russians may be allowed multiple visa-free entries if the duration of their stay does not exceed a certain limit.
According to the news outlet, the initiative is yet to be examined by the Japanese Justice Ministry and law enforcement authorities so no deadlines for the implementation of the new visa regime have been determined so far.
However, the newspaper noted that Lavrov and Kono may address the issue during their upcoming talks at the Munich Security Conference slated for Friday and Saturday.
The Japanese authorities already eased visa requirements for Russian citizens in 2017 and 2018, reducing the number of documents that Russians are required to submit for a visa when traveling as part of tourist groups.
