Visa-free Zone Between Kurils and Japan

YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK. May 8. VOSTOK MEDIA. –The negotiations on visa-free exchange between the Kurils’ inhabitants and Japanese citizens is almost completed in the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sakhalin-Kurils reports that the first group of Russian citizens is going to Japan in May 16.
The representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Yuxhno-Sakhalinsk Vladimir Nosov reports that during Russian-Japanese consultations on visa-free exchange between citizens of two countries which was held in Yuxhno-Sakhalinsk in April 17, 2008, prearrangements about its number and stay program in 2008 were achieved. Based on the results of these consultations a proposal of mutual exchange of 29 groups of 837 people was directed to Russian and Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The regional committee on international foreign economic and inter-regional relations reports that 8 groups of 320 Russian citizens from islands Hump, Kunashir and Shikotan would be directed to Japan. 11 groups of 517 Japanese will visit the Kurils. And 4 groups of 182 citizens of other countries will visit grave sites of their relatives.