Russian government is looking into attracting investment from Asia-Pacific countries to establish a tourism industry cluster on South Kuril Islands, the islands at the heart of Russia-Japan dispute, an official said in the Commission on Culture of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, according to Sputnik News Agency on February 1st.

The first vice chairman of the commission said that the tourism industry cluster on South Kuril Islands (known as the Northern Territories by Japan) will focus on building a global health and longevity center with an aim to ensuring a harmony life for people living on Iturup. The plan will be accompanied by a special customs and visa policy. Such a model, the official believed, will attract a lot attention in this year when presented in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. The official also pointed out that under China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a sino-Russian partnership could be expected for this project.

Iturup is the largest island among South Kuril Islands, and has around 6,000 residents. In 2016, through submitting an application to the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, the administration of Sakhalin Oblast started plans to set up an advanced development zone on South Kuril Islands, including Iturup and Kunashir.