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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Prime Minister, dear friends, let me warmly welcome you to St Petersburg.

I am pleased to be able to underscore the permanent nature of our relationship and, as a result, the development of our trade and economic ties. Our trade is growing; incidentally, despite all of the global economy’s difficulties, it continues to grow every year.

Mutual investments are increasing: Japan has more than $10 billion in cumulative investments in Russia. Cooperation in the various areas in which we interact is on the rise.

We intend to apply new forms of cooperation to Japanese-Russian relations. At your initiative two Russian ministers will visit Tokyo in early November 2013: Defence Minister [Sergei Shoigu] and Foreign Minister [Sergei Lavrov]. I am confident that this format will continue to contribute to developing our relations, and increase our trust in one another.

Mr Prime Minister, I am very glad to see you in Russia.

Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe (re-translated): I am very pleased to be able to meet again in St Petersburg, your hometown and a beautiful city. This is our third high-level meeting: I visited Russia in April this year and we also met at [the G8 in] Lough Erne.

I would like to express my sincere sympathy for the flooding along the Amur [River] which has caused huge damage. I sincerely hope for a swift recovery under your leadership.

Today our Deputy Prime Minister [and Finance Minister] Mr [Taro] Aso who has my complete trust is here. With your permission, tonight I will leave the G20 summit and fly to Buenos Aires. Mr Aso will take part in the G20 events in my place.

I would like to wish Russia every success as host of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

I think it’s wonderful that the political dialogue between our countries is proceeding apace, and in this regard I am very pleased that Foreign Minister Mr Lavrov will be in Japan on November 1 and 2.

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