Naryshkin conveys deep sympathy over Japan disasters

TOKYO, July 4 (Itar-Tass) -- Chief of the Russian presidential staff
Sergei Naryshkin conveyed the words of a deep sympathy to the people of
Japan over disastrous events in the country last March, when the latter
suffered major human and material losses over a devastating earthquake and
several killing tsunamis. He has made a statement at a meeting with
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano in Tokyo on Monday.
"I would like to convey the words of sympathy and condolence to the
Japanese people. Russian citizens took this tragedy as their own tragedy,
and the mischief is known to bring people closer," Naryshkin noted.
Naryshkin noted that this is his first visit to Japan after the tragic
events. "We have very positive intentions," he said, calling for the
development of the relations between the countries.
The Japanese chief Cabinet secretary thanked Naryshkin for the words
of sympathy and noted that the talks between Moscow and Tokyo are
important. "We believe that the latest meeting of the leaders of our
countries at the G-8 summit in Deauville was very useful," he said.
The chief of the Russian presidential staff arrived in Tokyo on a
brief visit to meet with Japanese top government officials and public
representatives. He visited earlier on Monday the largest Japanese
Christian Orthodox Resurrection Church, where he was speaking with the
supreme hierarch of the Japanese Christian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan
of Tokyo and all Japan Daniil. This church was opened in 1881. The
Japanese know the church as "Nikolai-do" (the St. Nikolai Church) and is
named after the first preacher of the Christian Orthodox faith in Japan,
St. Nikolai (Kasatkin). On July 2, St. Nicholas's mission in Japan marked
its 150th anniversary that the Christian Orthodox public celebrates
broadly in the country.
At the meeting with the metropolitan Naryshkin thanked for the visit
to the historical church. "I have been dreaming for a long time to do it
and I am glad that I succeeded to do it in the anniversary year, when St.
Nicholas arrived in Japan," he noted.
At the meeting Metropolitan Daniil thanked for the aid to people
affected in the recent natural disasters. "The support of the Russian
Orthodox Church, which made major donations, brought a great joy to us,"
he underlined.