Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Friday the Russian navy and Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force will stage a joint military exercise in the Sea of Japan this year.

Naval ships of the Russian Pacific Fleet will visit a Japanese seaport in October, where another joint exercise will be held with Japan, Ivanov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying after talks with Japanese Defense Agency Director General Fukushiro Nukaga.

In return, a delegation of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force will visit Russia's Far East Military District, Ivanov said.

After the talks, the two sides signed a memorandum on promotion of dialogue and contact between the Russian Defense Ministry and the Japanese Defense Agency.

(Xinhua News Agency January 14, 2006)