Valentina Matvienko held a meeting with Secretary General of Liberal Democratic Party of Japan Nikai Toshihiro in the Tavricheskiy Palace

The parties discussed the issues related to bilateral relations, inter-parliamentary cooperation and cooperation in the humanitarian sphere.

Valentina Matvienko noted that the year of 2018 was special for bilateral relations: for the first time in history the Year of Russia in Japan and the Year of Japan in Russia would be held in the two countries. According to Mrs. Matvienko, the parliamentarians are planning to actively contribute to the implementation of this project, which features holding of more than 250 events in Japan and Russia.

The meeting was also attended by Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Committee on Foreign Affairs Konstantin Kosachev, Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Committee on Economic Policy Dmitry Mezentsev, member of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building, member of the Cooperation Group of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation with the House of Councillors of the National Diet of Japan Alexander Bashkin, as well as the IPA CIS Council Secretary General Yury Osipov.

On behalf of the Japanese party, the meeting was also attended by member of the House of Representatives of the Japanese Parliament, Head of the Japanese-Russian Friendship Association Aisawa Ichiro, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Russian Federation Kozuki Toyohisa.