12.11.2009 10:17  In political and business circles of Japan one expresses more frequently opinions that the ongoing controversy between Japan and Russia can not and must not become a hindrance to the development of relationships, particularly signing of a peace treaty.
The worldwide practice shows that. For example, Japan’s relationships with South Korea, PRC and Taiwan. Their economic mutual interest and cooperation realias are much more important and promising than endless territorial talks.
Russia is ready for joint economic activity with Japan on the South Kuril Islands for mutually advantageous cooperation. This opinion is confirmed by a unified position on different levels of authority.
Thus, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Alexey Borodavkin during recent consultations with Japan partners specificated the necessity to remove the problem of signing of a peace treaty from the context of bilateral relationships. At the same time he expressed confidence that forming favorable conditions for the development of strategic partnership and cooperation will make it possible to gradually advance to the territorial controversy settlement. Russia is ready for joint economic activity on the islands and seeks to find an acceptable for both sides legal implementation of such projects that should not cause damage to the two countries’ positions. Joint projects will help to create an atmosphere of confidence, cooperation and partnership not only in the South Kurilian area, but also between our states in whole. And if the Japanese side is ready for opposing motion, Russia’s Government will proceed to practical work.
Russia and Japan have common interests in oil and gas production, but the main thing is that the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the sphere of the peaceful uses of atomic energy remains valid. For example, Russia is interested in new technologies in construction of nuclear power plants, and Japan - in Russia’s uranium reserves and technologies of its enrichment. Oil, gas and atomic power engineering can become an economic basis on which the two countries will be eventually able to find points of contact.
With the assumption of power by new Japan’s government at the head the leader of Democratic Party Yukio Hatoyama a possibility emerged to give the partnership between the two countries a “brand new strategic tone". “We have welcomed and very carefully considered declarations of Prime Minister of Japan Hatoyama that Japan considers Russia as a partner, it is ready to collaborate with in order to solve problems of the Asia-Pacific Region, by developing cooperation both on a bilateral basis, and according to the international agenda,” said Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Moreover, the Japan party was thanked for humanitarian assistance since the beginning of the 1990s to overcome social and economic problems of the south Kuril Islands, aggravated by the damaging earthquake in 1994. Lack of necessity of further getting of Japan humanitarian help gave occasion to that. Alongside with that the Russian party takes into consideration that in case of emergency in the Russian and Japanese adjoining regions, dangerous to life and health, the parties will resume humanitarian cooperation, as it was in the past.
Prime Minister of Japan Yukio Hatoyama at a meeting with the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev in New York also expressed an ambition to create new Russian-Japanese relations. In this connection Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia is ready for discussion of all questions with Japan, including the “most important ones”. He underlined that new Prime Minister of Japan knows Russia well, and this is an important factor that must contribute to strengthening bilateral relations, development of not only trade and economic cooperation, but also collaboration in other issues.
The two countries’ leaders agreed on regular contacts within foreign ministries, as well as fixed an arrangement on the next meeting at an APEC summit in Singapore. 
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