Japan and Russia started negotiations Monday over Tokyo's fishing quota for salmon and trout spawned in Russian rivers, a move seen as controversial because Tokyo has to pay a fishery rights fee to Moscow despite the country being hit by international sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine.
It is not known whether the two governments can strike a deal in the virtual talks, as Russia opposes the sanctions imposed by Japan, the United States, Europe and other parties.
Tokyo and Moscow will decide the fee and the quota for Japanese vessels to fish in Japan's 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, according to Japanese Fisheries Agency officials.