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On September 13, 2018 (local time), Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is visiting Vladivostok in the Russian Federation to attend the fourth Eastern Economic Forum and other events, met with people involved with Japanese businesses and others, and thereafter paid a visit to the memorial monument for Japanese nationals who died during detainment.
 
In his address at the meeting with people involved with Japanese businesses and others, the Prime Minister said,
 
“I am extremely pleased that members of Japanese companies and universities who are engaged in businesses and exchanges with Russia have attended the Eastern Economic Forum in continuation from the last year and I have the opportunity to meet all of you here at this occasion.
 
Two years ago, at the Plenary Session of this Economic Forum, I proposed to President Putin that we review the progress of the eight-point cooperation plan every year in Vladivostok. Thanks to all of your proactive efforts and hard work, the cooperation plan is steadily moving from ideas on paper to something tangible. As I proposed confirming the progress every year, I worried what I would do if there was no substantial progress made in the following year, but it is truly thanks to the efforts made by all of you that we are making steady progress and delivering results, and I believe those results have been sufficiently recognized by Russia, including President Putin.
 
Even focusing on Vladivostok, for instance, we presented a future vision for this city at the end of last year. We also have actual projects progressing. I have heard that the rehabilitation center, which was opened by the JGC Corporation and Hokuto Hospital in May, is so popular that they do not have enough staff to meet the demand. Smart signals, which were proven effective in Voronezh, were installed too. When these signals are utilized with appropriate traffic administration by the Government, we can expect an improvement in traffic congestion in Vladivostok. At the summit meeting held on September 10, I also confirmed the progress of the cooperation plan with President Putin.
 
We also took the opportunity for this Economic Forum to exchange diplomatic notes concerning the tax convention which will come into effect on the 10th of next month. The Government would like to further enhance the business environment to provide even greater momentum to the progress of Japan-Russia relations and economic relations between Japan and Russia.
       
Two years ago, I held a summit meeting with President Putin in Nagato. Regrettably, our conventional approach could not make progress on the territorial issues for seventy years and thus these seventy years have now passed without concluding a peace treaty. Today, after seventy years, it is important to resolve this issue that we advance the understanding of the citizens of our two countries, and prepare the conditions for resolution. At the summit meeting, we were determined to break the shell of suspicion that exists between us and progress one step forward and the joint economic activities on the four islands of the Northern Territories are one aspect of these efforts. We have promoted the eight-point cooperation plan with the determination to make major progress towards the resolution of the peace treaty issue by sharing the recognition that the cooperation between Japan and Russia enables us to deliver major results and enrich people’s lives. This determination has brought us thus far, and I would like to once again offer my deep gratitude for all of your efforts.
       
Today, I would like to ask you all to share your requests and opinions regarding our initiatives and plans, and anything you might ask to Russia regarding business and exchange with Russia. Thank you very much.”