TOKYO, July 25. /TASS/. Japan and Russia need to step up economic cooperation, and Japanese companies want to resume doing business with Russia, lawmaker from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party Muneo Suzuki told TASS.

"We need to step up economic cooperation," he said, recalling the visit to Moscow in May by officials from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Foreign Ministry.

"Japanese companies took part because they want to return," the lawmaker said. According to him, "the Japanese side needs to approach the Russian side" regarding the expansion of economic cooperation.

Since 2022, the Japanese authorities have introduced several rounds of sanctions against Russia, leading to a significant reduction in bilateral ties. Russian Ambassador to Japan Nikolay Nozdrev told TASS in an interview that relations had deteriorated to an unprecedented low because of Japan's hostile policies and that restoring bilateral ties and interstate contacts would require Tokyo to abandon its unfriendly course.