Minister of Japanese Embassy in Russia visits Murmansk region to study Northern Sea Route prospects
Marina Kovtun, head of the Murmansk region, held a working meeting with Rokuitiro Mitii, Minister of the Embassy of Japan in the Russian Federation, who visited the region to study the possibilities of using the Northern Sea Route.
“Murmansk region is the gate to the Arctic. International community including Japan pays careful attention to the development and potential of the northern territories. We are going to discuss the potential for use of the Northern Sea Route - it is a strategic interest of Japan,” Rokuitiro Mitii said.
With the new route Japan will find itself at the crossing of the two marine lines. The location near the Bering Strait where the Northern Sea Route starts enables Tokyo to create an important transport hub more advantageous geographically than Hong Kong, Singapore or Pusan.
In view of the prospects opened for Japan with the Arctic development the country sees it necessary to participate in discussion of the region’s future. According to the decision taken at the Arctic Council Kiruna Ministerial Meeting in May’13, the status of permanent observers was granted to the states located far from the Arctic and not bordering it: India, China, Italy, South Korea and Japan.
Recent years have seen the increase of cargo flows along the Northern Sea Route. In 2013, 71 transit voyages from Europe to the Asia-Pacific region included 25 foreign vessels. In navigation period of 2012, there were only 46 transit voyages including 28 foreign vessels, in 2011 – only 4.
Transit cargo flow along the Northern Sea Route is forecasted to total 1.5 mln t in 2014.
