Look at any atlas, and it is plain to see that what is separating Germany from Japan is the world's largest country, Russia. As a land mass, it is indeed a behemoth, spanning over 10,000 km and eleven time zones.
But due to the recent boom in the Russian automotive market, Japanese and German automakers are finding themselves working side by side.
Germany's increasing interest in Russia's car market was highlighted at a conference held May 7 in Frankfurt. Organized by the German Automotive Federation (VDA), the symposium, titled "Strategies for the Automotive Industry in Russia," attracted some 200 participants.