TOKYO. Nov 5 (Interfax) - The General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces has reached an agreement with the staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces on stepping up contacts between them, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a press conference following negotiations in the 2+2 format between the Russian and Japanese foreign and defense ministers.
"An agreement has been reached on stepping up contacts between the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and the Japan Self-Defense Forces. We will further consider closer interaction between the commands of the Air Force and the Navy," he said.
Shoigu said he was generally satisfied with the negotiations. "We view the explanations of new elements in Japan's approaches toward ensuring its national security and defense presented by our counterparts as a contribution to promoting openness and confidence in our bilateral relations," he said.
"We've agreed on regular exchanges of visits, including at the level of defense ministers," Shoigu said.