CEO’s of leading corporations and companies of the two countries took part in the conference that targeted Japanese major portfolio and strategic investors. Russia was represented by such economic giants as Gazprom and Lukoil. Participants in the conference were welcomed by Mikhail Slipenchuk, IFC METROPOL Director General. A speech by Academician Evgeny Primakov, President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce, became one of the high points of the conference.

All speakers in the conference called upon the Japanese business elite to make large-scale investments into the Russian economy. Let’s remind that the Japanese financial market is currently second biggest market worldwide, with the scope of financial assets of some $ 37 trillion. Japanese market players have been aggressively investing into assets on the emerging markets recently.

This international forum became a landmark event in Russo-Japanese economic relations. These conferences on Russia’s investment openings, arranged for by private companies, are unprecedented for Japan. At the same time, similar events that target Western investors and businessmen, are regularly held in London and New York, and often several times a year. Similar conferences can be expected to become traditional for Japan.