MOSCOW, May 14. /TASS/. Speaker of the Russian Federation Council (upper house of parliament) Valentina Matviyenko has said that Moscow is ready for further steps to ease visa requirements for Japanese visitors and urged the heads of Russia’s regions and Japan’s prefectures to prompt their countries’ executive authorities to take practical steps to that end.

"As for easing visa restrictions, we are on the way towards that. We have travelled part of that path, easing mutual visa restrictions substantially. However, this is a two-way street. Russia is ready for further steps, for e-visas and other forms of easing visa requirements," Matviyenko said at a meeting with the participants in the Russian-Japanese Council of Governors on Tuesday.

She noted that the two countries’ Foreign Ministries were in talks on the issue.

"Work is in progress. Let Russia’s regions and Japan’s prefectures prompt our executive authorities to complete talks as soon as possible and open up new opportunities for businesses and citizens. This is an important factor for expanding cooperation," the speaker stressed.