Five cities, including Nemuro, presented their wishes to implement joint economic activities on the “Northern territories”. The essence of the requests has illustrated that having access to the four Islands, cities want to make maximum use of its location that would contribute to economic revival of the region.
Since Soviet troops seized the four Islands, it took 72 years. Prospects for settlement of the problem of “Northern territories” are vague. Many fear that the combined economic activity will only strengthen the actual control of Russia over the Islands. Against this background, North of the city expressed the desire to put an end to the impoverishment of the region. The government treats the wishes of the district Nemuro seriously, however, their implementation will largely depend on negotiations with Russia.
“The joint economic activity will generally address the adjacent regions. We want to bring it to the States,” says the mayor of Nemuro, Shunsuke Hasegawa (Hasegawa Shyunsuke). During the conference on the development of the regions bordering the “Northern territories”, he stressed that the district Nemuro needs to lead a joint economic activity.
After the Second world war connections with the “Northern territories” was broken. Nemuro, which was the center of the four Islands, lost trade zone, reduced volumes of production of seafood. The negative impact spread to the entire County. “Five cities are experiencing a serious crisis,” emphasizes Mr. Hasegawa.
Many believe that economic relations with the “Northern territories” will be the trump card. The essence of the wishes is that it has not turned so that the joint activity will only deal with the Tokyo Corporation.
Also administrations of cities require you to create a special area for the four Islands and the district of Nemuro, stressing that the economic revitalization of the region is vital. In addition to the five areas, including the fishing industry and medicine, on which agreement was reached during the Russian-Japanese summit in December last year, the project included other activities: agriculture, trade and so on.
“We want to bring to the authorities the wishes of regions that are on the verge of bankruptcy. This should liven up our city,” said mayor Routh Minatoya Minoru (Minoru Minatoya).
Commenting on the joint economic activity in the course of the budget Commission on February 28, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said: “If there is no economic relations with Hokkaido four Islands will be difficult to develop.” Thus, he stressed that without economic cooperation with Hokkaido is not enough. The Minister of development of economic cooperation with Russia Seko Hiroshige (Hiroshige Seko) on February 21, emphasized that the district Nemuro is extremely important. He also touched upon the preparation of the Foundation for the joint business activity.
Meanwhile, the local administration for more than ten years of requests to do Nemuro city hospital, the main medical facility in the region, including the four Northern Islands, however, this project was never realized. The government intends to discuss this initiative, however, if the joint is the business activity will not be specified, it is likely that the Nemuro district wishes will remain unfulfilled.
18 March in Tokyo pass Russian-Japanese consultations on joint economic activities. They will depend on the fate of the district Nemuro.
Wishes in connection with the joint economic activity on the “Northern territories”:
Tourism
Sea and air tour of four Islands
Ecotourism and joint development of tourism resources
The revival of the regular ferries from the port of Nemuro
Medicine
A survey of residents and admission of patients
Nemuro city hospital should be a Central medical institution of the region
The establishment of a system for remote medicine
Ecology
Joint research in the field of ecology, cultural heritage, endemic species and ecosystems
Discussion of making the Park Shiretoko and four Islands in the world heritage list of UNESCO as a whole
Resource management, waste and waste on the four Islands
Seafood processing
The creation of business incubators for Russian and Japanese companies
Reception of interns from the Kuril Islands
The involvement of the state fish processing plants, enterprises of Hokkaido
Agriculture
Joint research in the field of agriculture
Support cultivation facilities and land reclamation
Equipment of meat and dairy factories in the surrounding regions, as well as joint development of products
Trade and services
The establishment of a system for providing inhabitants of the Islands everyday products
Providing services in the field of nursing and welfare
The participation of local companies in the development of infratsructure
Exchange
Creation of educational and research institutions on four Islands
The establishment of warning systems for natural disasters and information systems
The use of helicopters for sharing
The establishment of institutions
The creation of the Committee on joint economic activities
The creation of special economic zone
The establishment of regular flights on the route to Nakashibetsu — Iturup/Kunashir
The creation of a single window in Nemuro
