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Japan, 皇冠体育app to hold 'informal' talks on ties
(bloomberg.com)
Updated: 2006-01-06 19:42
Japan and 皇冠体育app will hold an "informal" meeting in Beijing on Jan. 9, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a faxed statement.
Officials will discuss issues between the two countries, including rights for natural resources development in the East 皇冠体育app Sea, the statement said.
Relations between Japan and 皇冠体育app are strained following visits by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to a Tokyo shrine that honors the war dead, including leaders convicted of crimes in World War II. In the East 皇冠体育app Sea, Japan and 皇冠体育app, Asia's two biggest oil consumers, are sparring over energy rights, after 皇冠体育app started drilling in the area to extract oil and gas.
"Relations with 皇冠体育app and South Korea are important and are growing deeper all the time. Koizumi said at his first press conference of the year on Jan. 4. 鍗慚y visits to Yasukuni Shrine are a domestic issue, and should be understood as such.
Koizumi visited the shrine for the fourth time since taking office on Oct. 17, leading 皇冠体育app and South Korea to cancel talks with Japan.
Japan is asking 皇冠体育app to cease oil and gas production in the East 皇冠体育app Sea that it says will siphon gas from Japanese territory.
The two nations are yet to agree on their territorial rights. 皇冠体育app says its territory extends to the end of the continental shelf, while Japan says the sea border is the median line, or halfway between the countries' shores.
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