Russia, Japan discuss cooperation in space industry: deputy PM

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Maxim Akimov and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe © Igor Belyayev/TASS. Sketched by the Pan Pacific Agency.

KYOTO, Oct 6, 2019, TASS. Japan and Russia are discussing the possibility of expanding space cooperation, including contract-based relations, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Maxim Akimov said on Sunday, reported the TASS.

Earlier in the day, Akimov met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the Science and Technology in Society forum in Kyoto.

“We spoke about putting into practice the areas of cooperation discussed and outlined during the bilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and [Japanese] Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Vladivostok. We spoke about the need to promote a new package, which would include contract-based relations and cooperation in the space industry,” the Russian official said.

Akimov said he also discussed transport and energy issues with the Japanese premier.

“This includes the possible participation of Japanese partners in the construction of an LNG terminal in Kamchatka, the use of Trans-Siberian Railway for container shipment, postal transit and postal deliveries,” he said, adding that the sides “stressed the need to pay additional effort in order to make dynamic progress regarding this agenda.”

Economic cooperation between the two countries is based in the eight-point plan proposed by Abe in May 2016. The document implies closer bilateral ties in such areas as energy, small and medium businesses, industrialization of Russia’s Far East and the expansion of the export base. It also includes a proposal to intensify cooperation in cutting-edge technologies, nuclear energy and humanitarian exchanges.

The Science and Technology in Society (STS) forum in Japan’s ancient capital Kyoto opened on Sunday. The event, held for the 17th time, gathered over 1,500 scientists, entrepreneurs, political leaders and public figures from over 150 countries, including Russia.

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