-We have many things in common, Onishi says, highlighting the similar challenges within energy, shipping, fisheries, defence and geopolitics. -You have Shtokman, we have the Sakhalin fields. You have the Northern Fleet, we have the Pacific Fleet. In addition, both regions have unsettled borders, powerful fisheries and the need for cross-border contacts. Indigenous peoples are scattered in our region as much as in the Barents Region. Mr. Onishi, a Japanese scholar currently studying the development of the Barents Euro-Arctic Region in the Barents Institute in Kirkenes, Norway, believes Japan long has been interested in the development of new regional cooperation structures in Northeast Asia. The model of the Barents Cooperation could be a starting point, he says. The Barents Euro-Arctic Cooperation has a strong focus on cross-border cooperation between regional authorities. Regional officials and politicians regularly meet in the Barents Regional Council and its sub-structures. In addition, there is an extensive people-to-people project cooperation across the regional east-west border. Onishi highlights the importance of grass-root level cooperation and believes the Barents Cooperation in this respect has been very successful. People-to-people cooperation has a vital peace-building function, he underlines to BarentsObserver. Already in 1993 Japan expressed an interest in the Barents Cooperation. Then, the country’s foreign ministry successfully applied for observer status in the Barents Council. That interest in the High North is still alive in Japan, Onishi maintains. Over the last year, Onishi has lived long periods in Kirkenes, Norway. -Only one country separates Norway and Japan – namely Russia, Onishi says, adding that the Northern Sea Route connects the two countries.
