There are common interests. Representatives of Japan are offered to learn how reindeer-herding products are processed

Representatives of the Japan Association for Trade with Russia & New Independent States (ROTOBO) visited Yamal. They intend to assist to participation of Japanese companies in projects of the Autonomous Okrug. A deputy governor, the director of the department of external relations of Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug Alexander Mazharov called Japan a good neighbor of Russia and offered to discuss opportunities of further interaction, taking into account the priority of improvement of population’s life on both territories.  

A deputy head of the region Alexander Kalinin outlined the prospect of socioeconomic development of the region for the next 20 years.

“Yamal will remain the leading region on fulfillment of large-scale projects in the sphere of extraction and processing of hydrocarbons. The planned amount of investments will exceed 100 milliard dollars. At the decisive role of oil and gas sector in economy of the region we are also interested in development of competitive high technologies in the sphere of transport infrastructure and improvement of population’s life in the Autonomous Okrug. Therefore, we count on constructive and fruitful cooperation with our Japanese partners”, he said.  

Thanking for hospitality, the head of the representational office of the Japan Association for Trade with Russia & New Independent States (ROTOBO) in Moscow, Mr. Daisuke Saito noted that potential of cooperation between Japan and Russia was not fully used. According to him, the external trade turnover makes 28 milliard dollars and only 300 companies support permanent business relations with our country. At the same time, publications on the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation regularly appear in Japanese mass media, including the leading economic edition — the Nikkei newspaper. He proposed development of interregional relations, diversification of spheres of interaction, support for medium and small enterprises as mechanisms to extend cooperation.

Alexander Mazharov called the idea to conduct further business dialogue in the format of small practice-oriented projects supposing activation of different production industries and involvement of indigenous peoples of the North in economy as the key to development of bilateral relations. Environmentally friendly products of reindeer husbandry, processing of velvet antlers and endocrine-enzyme raw materials, oil and gas chemistry open up opportunities for partnership initiatives. In his opinion, study of customs legislation of the two countries for compliance of products from Yamal with standards of Japan requires particularly close attention. At the same time, Alexander Mazharov invited the Japanese side to take the first practical step by sending specialists in the sphere of food industry to Yamal to exchange experience and get acquainted with the full cycle of processing of reindeer-herding products this autumn.  

Mr. Daisuke Saito invited the delegation of Yamal to visit Japan, as well as through the Association he offered information support for projects of Yamal and organizational assistance in conducting of seminars on business, energy saving and ecological technologies.

Both sides noted the strength of the political will of the leaders of Russia and Japan, the diplomatic success of the Russian-Japanese negotiations at the G20 summit in Osaka, the resonant signing of the Memorandum of understanding between NOVATEK and the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC), which received support of the government of Japan. There are common interests in development of the Arctic region of the Russian Federation, logistics of the Northern Sea Route, investment projects in the Russian Arctic.

The representatives of Japan reviewed activity of the scientific center for study of the Arctic and the Russian center for exploration of the Arctic. According to the regional department of external relations, they are interested in study of ecological requirements and culture of indigenous peoples in relation to participation of Japanese companies in fulfillment of large industrial projects in Yamal. The sides exchanged contacts for further information exchange.

The business program for the Japanese delegation will continue in Noviy Urengoy. As it should be reminded, the visit of the representatives of the Japan Association for Trade with Russia & New Independent States (ROTOBO) to Yamal was organized by the department of external relations of the region.