Russia's second city has become a pace-setter in Japanese-Russian cooperation with auto majors Toyota and Nissan planning to build plants in Russia's northern capital.
"The forum is designed to take cooperation between the two countries to a qualitative new level matching the economic potential of Russia and Japan," the organizing committee said. "The forum will open new prospects for business in a strategically important area of the Russian Federation's foreign economic relations."
The Russian delegation at the three-day event is led by Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister Kirill Androsov and the Japanese delegation by the country's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshihiro Nikai. About 300 business leaders and senior regional officials will also represent Russia and about 200 delegates have arrived from Japan.
The forum will feature three conferences: on Russia's investment policy, special economic zones and prospects for Russian-Japanese business partnership.
It will also include roundtables on investment in Russia's automotive industry, infrastructure, transport, energy resources and new financial instruments for innovative investment projects.
