Japan and Russia agreed to launch nuclear energy cooperation talks and signed wide-ranging accords to promote economic ties at a summit between Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov and his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, The Associated Press reported. Tokyo and Moscow will start negotiating an agreement to cooperate in the field of nuclear power, according to a statement issued by the Abe's office. The accord would involve Japan outsourcing the enrichment of uranium for Japanese nuclear power plants to Russia, Kyodo News agency reported. Japanese officials refused to immediately confirm the report. In other accords signed following the summit, the two countries agreed to boost bilateral ties in business, energy, trade and investment. The leaders also discussed a decades-old territorial dispute over a chain of Pacific islands, but with no signs of a breakthrough. Energy issues so far have dominated Japanese officials' talks with the Russian delegation led by Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov that arrived earlier this week.
