Japan, Russia Sign Cooperation Deals

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov and his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, have signed accords to boost ties in business, energy, trade, and investment.

Abe told a news conference today after talks with Fradkov in Tokyo that the two countries have agreed to launch talks on nuclear energy cooperation. They also discussed the North Korean nuclear crisis.

Fradkov arrived in Japan on February 27 with a Russian delegation. He said the visit has helped consolidate the strategic partnership between Russia and Japan.

The leaders also discussed a decades-old territorial dispute over the Kurile Islands, but with no sign of a breakthrough. Abe said it is "very important" to settle the dispute, which has prevented the two countries from signing a formal peace treaty after the end of World War II.

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