MOSCOW. Jan 27 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will pay a working visit to Japan from January 28 to January 29, a ministry spokesman said.
"The main goal of the visit is to hold a detailed and profound discussion with Japanese partners on the whole range of Russian-Japanese issues, including bilateral relations, with a focus on their political dialogue and economic cooperation, as well as cooperation in international affairs," he said.
"The sides will also outline concrete ways to promote bilateral ties in light of an agreement on joint efforts to vigorously develop these relations reached by the leaders of Russia and Japan in Honolulu in November 2011," he said.
During the visit to Japan, Lavrov plans to meet with Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba, chairman of the ruling Democratic Party's Political Council Seiji Maehara, and Liberal Democratic Party deputy and former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, who also heads the Japanese Parliamentary Deputies' Association for Friendship with Russia.
Relations with Tokyo are among the key priorities of Russia's foreign policy, the ministry spokesman said.
"Japan is one of Russia's ten leading economic partners. Bilateral trade, which was negatively impacted by the 2008 crisis, is growing rapidly today. Last year the volume of bilateral trade increased by one-third and approached its pre-crisis maximum of approximately $30 billion," he said.
The problem of a Russian-Japanese peace treaty will be addressed as well.
"Our position is that our dialogue on this topic should be calm and constructive, free from emotional outburst and public polemics. An atmosphere conducive to such discussions should be created by building a close relationship between the two countries as partners. It involves the broad development of trade, economic, scientific, technological and cultural cooperation, as well as coordination in the international arena, primarily in the Asia-Pacific region," the spokesman said.
An agreement simplifying visa rules will be signed during Lavrov's visit.