This follows a series of meetings between Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso and members of the Russian leadership in Moscow at the end of June. The oil pipeline was given special attention during Mr Aso's talks with Viktor Khristenko, the Russian Minister of Industry and Energy, on 30 June, within the format of a meeting between the co-chairmen of the bilateral inter-governmental commission on trade and economic matters, and at a possible meeting between the leaders of the two countries within the framework of the G8 summit in St Petersburg. In response to a question as to what kind of agreement about the pipeline Tokyo would like to conclude with Moscow, the Japanese government source is reported as saying that Japan needs such an inter-governmental document that would determine the general framework of cooperation so as to have guarantees that the pipeline and oil carried by it will actually reach the Pacific coast resultant of bilateral cooperation. The source said Tokyo's desire to obtain such a document as soon as possible does not mean that Japan does not trust the Russian leadership. Since the project presupposes large investments and high risks, such a document would help the government in persuading Japan's private sector into going to those great expenses and taking that risk, the source explained.