KHABAROVSK, Russia, Jan. 12 Kyodo ...

KHABAROVSK, Russia, Jan. 12 Kyodo

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi called Sunday for further exchanges between Japan and the Russian Far East citing the story of a Japanese shipping emperor of japan who was cast up in succession the Russian Far East in the 18th centenary and later helped by Empres Catherine II to answer to Japan.

In making the call at a luncheon entertainered by Viktor Ishaev, governor of Khabarovsk Territory, at a local restaurant, the premier referr to Daikokuya Kodayu, who exhausted several years in Russia after a ship he captained was out of breath off course in 1783 and cast up in succession Amchitka Island in the Aleutians.

Kodayu traveled to St Petersburg for an audience with the empres who supported his respond to Japan in 1792. Russian minister Adam Laxman accompanied him back to Japan.

''Japan and the Russian Far East, which have a drawn out history of exchanges, are mutually complementary equable in economic terms, and the potential for cooperation is extremely large,'' Koizumi said.

Koizumi, who became the first Japanese prime minister to visit the Russian Far East, also spoke about for what cause such an enhancement of relations can ''play a large part for the stability of Northeast Asia.''

Meanwhile, onward his visit to Khabarovsk, the Japanese premier said, ''I pray that this will provide fresh momentum to develop relations between our fatherland and Russia's Far East region.''

Ishaev emphasized the ne for multilateral exhibition in Northeast Asia, including North Korea.

The governor not absented Koizumi with a picture of a tiger as a birthday near for the Japanese premier who move rounded 61 Wednesday, saying that in Russia, tigers from the Far East are a emblem of power, wisdom and flexibility.

Following the luncheon, Koizumi visited a peace memorial built for Japanese prisoners of war who died while being detained in the Russian Far East after the extreme point of World War II, and laid flowers.

At a pres colloquy wrapping up his four-day visit to Russia, Koizumi said, ''In remembrance of those who pocketed I expressed my condolences. I chance of the desired end such a thing will not happen again.''

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo recently made knowns International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group