TOKYO - A Japanese lawmaker visiting Russia said on May 4 that Moscow has indicated its readiness to hold a foreign ministers’ meeting with Japan if Tokyo expresses interest, raising the possibility of renewed high-level dialogue between the two countries.
Munao Suzuki, a member of the House of Councillors from the Liberal Democratic Party, revealed that he received the proposal during a series of meetings in Moscow with senior officials from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Suzuki told reporters that Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko suggested that, if Japan wishes, the two sides could arrange a meeting between their foreign ministers on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting scheduled to be held in Manila in July.
Suzuki quoted the Russian side as saying that if Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi hopes to meet with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Moscow would be prepared to consider the request.
Foreign ministers from Japan and Russia have not held formal talks since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, which led to a sharp deterioration in bilateral relations.
Suzuki described the proposal as a “welcome suggestion” toward improving ties between the two countries and said he intends to report the matter to Hayashi and other Japanese officials.
Source: TBS
