"The document with detailed steps will be offered to the Japanese side in the near future," the statement said.
According to the document, businesses from both countries are ready for further development of ties with Japanese JGC firm confirming its plan to build a small natural gas liquefaction manufacture on Sakhalin, while Sojitz Corporation said it was ready to join Russia's East Mining Company in investing in maximization of coal output in Uglegorsk Region.
The statement also said that the joint economic activity measures proposed by the Sakhalin government had been discussed at the Russian Foreign Ministry along with other steps that the regional authorities could take to facilitate the implementation of the agreements reached during Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent visit to Japan.
Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held meetings in Nagato and Tokyo on December 15-16. During Putin’s visit, the two sides agreed to step up economic cooperation on the Kuril islands. Russian and Japanese companies also signed 68 documents on energy, investment, agriculture and visa facilitation.
The Kuril Islands, located between Russia's Sakhalin and Japan's Hokkaido, are the subject of the long-standing territorial dispute between Russia and Japan. Japan lays claims to Kunashir, Iturup, Shikotan islands and the Habomai group of islets. The territorial dispute has prevented Russia and Japan from signing a peace treaty after World War II.
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