Japan will create a ministerial post for relations with Russia

01.09.2016

Japan will create a special post, a Minister of Economic Relations with Russia. It is reported that the post will be staffed by Hiroshige Seko, who now heads the post of Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. This appointment demonstrates the priority given to relations with Japan by the current Russian authorities.

Enhanced cooperation

In May this year during a meeting of the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, they agreed on the implementation of large-scale bilateral economic projects. In particular, these envisage the development of joint infrastructure projects in the Russian Far East - ports, hospitals, as well as a gas processing plant. They also include projects in the field of small and medium industry, energy, high technology, and nuclear industry.

Geo-economics as the geopolitics

Economic cooperation has a political dimension. Japan is concerned about complaints that China is a regional hegemon in the Pacific. The Japanese perspective is that the Chinese claim to occupy the highest place in the regional hierarchy is not justified. Therefore, Japan would like to enlist Russia's support in its disputes with China. Russia, in turn, is interested in that, creating mutually beneficial and close relations with Japan, not to depend on China as their sole partner in the Pacific Ocean and contribute to a more independent course of Japan from the United States.

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