Sugiyama and Morgulov also discussed the crisis in Ukraine and international terrorist activities, including those involving Islamic State, with Sugiyama conveying Japan’s position that sanctions imposed on Russia by Japan, European countries and the United States should not adversely affect Japan-Russia relations.

The deputy minister-level meeting, initially set for last August, was postponed after Japan imposed additional sanctions following the Crimea annexation. The previous meeting was held in January 2014.