Japanese Invasion

Russia's Urals Federal District has signed more than 20 cooperation agreements with large Japanese companies including Komatsu, Nissan, Mitsubishi and NEC Corporation, according to UFD Deputy Plenipotentary Victor Basargin.

More than 300 representatives of Japanese big business took part in the recent trade show with the Urals region in Tokyo. Basargin said that governors and heads of large Urals companies introduced more than 200 large investment and innovative projects which if they are fulfilled would significantly increase the level of cooperation between the region and Japan. The projects were valued at more than USD 500 million.

The trade show was in response to last year's agreement between President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on strengthening mutual activities between the two countries at the regional level.