Russian Ambassador Alexander Panov will visit Fukui and Ishikawa prefectures Jan. 15 to map out further measures for dealing with damage caused by oil spilled from a wrecked Russian tanker, Panov told Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda on Jan. 14, according to Foreign Ministry officials.Panov told Ikeda that the accident was caused by a private company, but that the Russian government feels responsible for the accident, according to the officials. He expressed deep regret over the economic and mental damage inflicted on the local people suffering from the oil spill, the officials said.A Russian oil-cleaning ship is on the way to the Sea of Japan, and the Russian government is seeking to cooperate in dealing with oil leaking from the sunken tanker, Panov told Ikeda.
