TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th February, 2020) Japan wants to boost joint economic activities with Russia on the disputed Southern Kuril Islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Friday.
"Russian Foreign Minister [Sergey] Lavrov and I are holding talks to find a mutually acceptable solution. Last year, we managed to implement some pilot projects in the sphere of tourism and waste disposal. This year we are going to increase the number of areas [of economic cooperation] as well as even more boost the implementation of projects. The government will further hold a dialogue with Russia to settle the territorial dispute and sign the peace treaty," Motegi said at the annual government-organized meeting devoted to the Northern Territories Day.
