Sergei Kirienko, presidential envoy plenipotentiary to federal district Volga, and once Russia's youngest Premier, opened the event at a television studio in Tokyo. He and Mr. Komatsu, European Department head of Japan's Foreign Ministry, made greeting addresses.
Industrial clusters are an essential matter now that last year alone boosted the Russian-Japanese trade turnover by more than 40 per cent, said Mr. Kirienko. However, the two countries have for now implemented no more than 5 per cent of their potential for bilateral economic contacts, he added with regret. The speaker called to spread the enviable practice of fuel-and-energy partnership to other industrial fields.
Japanese-based industrial companies look forward to capital investment in Russia. The arrangement demands a cutting-edge infrastructure. Thus, Russian automotive industry needs spare part manufacture to get going, and Japanese corporate partners need guarantees. "We hold Japanese experience precious, especially in automotive industry, high technologies and glass manufacture," said Mr. Kirienko.
Mr. Komatsu, in his turn, highlighted interregional contacts as essential in bilateral partnership. In that context, the Volga area is one of the most promising, what with its several major automotive and information technological centres.
"This is a second international seminar to get together the Japan Centre in Nizhni Novgorod and the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo. Today's topic, industrial clusters, helps to make a comparison and promotes organisation of the international economy and education. We hope today's event will encourage further economic progress of federal district Volga," said Komatsu-san.
The linkup was timed to a visit of federal district Volga's delegates to Japan, to last into Saturday,
September 11. The visit aims to promote economic links between industries and particular companies, say Sergei Kirienko's PR.
