Senior Japanese businesspeople expressed hope Monday that Russia's newly elected President Vladimir Putin will create a favorable investment environment in Russia by realizing political and economic stabilization.
Minoru Murofushi, chairman of the Japan Foreign Trade Council, said he expects Putin to work for the improvement of relations between Japan and Russia in light of the huge risks accompanied by commercial investment in that country.
Murofushi, chairman of trading house Itochu Corp., made the comment following Putin's win in Sunday's presidential election.
Toshikazu Endo, an adviser to the Center for Economic and International Affairs at trading house Mitsubishi Corp., noted that the Russian economy is improving thanks to higher prices of crude oil and other commodities.
Putin is unlikely to carry out drastic economic policy changes, although he may introduce moderate economic controls, Endo said.