Talks on a nuclear cooperation agreement were started in March, during a visit of Russia’s Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov to Japan. Kirienko said that the two countries have been holding intense talks and the agreement will be signed this year.

“We will set all the terms, sign the agreement and will hopefully implement it by the end of the year,” said Kirienko in remarks reported by RIA Novosti. According to him, the Japanese companies are ready to start cooperation as soon as the agreement is signed.

Kirienko said that this cooperation would help Russia to raise its presence on the Japanese market and its percentage of low-enriched uranium for NPPs from currently 12 percent to 25 to 30 percent. Furthermore, the countries would also cooperate in the fields of nuclear fuel conversion, NPP machine building and technology for nuclear sites.

“We would also like to set up shared companies for constructing NPP equipment for nuclear sites in Russia, but on Russian territory,” said Kirienko, the agency reported.

He further said that Russia would try to attract Japanese investment for financing geological research activities at Russian uranium deposits.

In Japan, Kirienko held meetings with the executives of Toshiba Corporation, Ishikawajima-Harima Industries, Japan Steel Works, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and a number of Japanese ministers, reported the Russian news agency “RIA Novosti”.