TOKYO, (PNA/Xinhua) — Japan and Russia agreed to improve bilateral defense exchanges at the first “two-plus-two” meeting involving their foreign and defense ministers here on Saturday.
Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said at a joint press conference after the meeting that Japan and Russia agreed to further develop cooperation in areas such as economy, security and people-to-people exchanges.
He added that the “two-plus-two” meeting promoted Japan- Russia relations to a new level.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that in order to cope with issues on the Korean Peninsula and territorial dispute between Russia and Japan, the two sides should work together so as to better serve the two countries’ national interests.
Both sides agreed to boost anti-terrorism cooperation and deepen defense exchanges through reciprocal visits of defense chiefs and joint counter-terrorism and anti-piracy drills between their maritime forces.
They also vowed to establish a negotiating mechanism on cyber security.
Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said Japan hopes to contribute to world peace through defense cooperation with Russia, while his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu said that Japan-U.S. missile defense system will destroy security balance in the Asia- Pacific region, adding his country will continue to communicate with Japan on the issue.
The two visiting Russian ministers also held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday.
Japan and Russia are at odds over the four disputed islands north of Japan’s Hokkaido. The row over the Russian-controlled islands, known as the South Kurils in Russia and the northern territories in Japan, has prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty since the end of World War II.
Japan and Russia will hold next “two-plus-two” meeting in Russia in 2014.