Yokohama, Nov 13, 2010 (RosBusinessConsulting via COMTEX) -- UC Rusal plans to increase the export of its products to Japan, the Russian aluminum and alumina giant's chief Oleg Deripaska told journalists in Yokohama today. "We are continuing the expansion of our supplies, and we have traditionally had strong positions on this market," he stated. According to Deripaska, the economic rehabilitation process in the Asia-Pacific region, including the automobile sector, has spurred consistent demand for UC Rusal's products. As he explained, many Japanese companies have voiced their intentions to enter into long-term contracts, and the company could take steps in this direction in 2011. As for the consequences of the so-called 'cooling' in relations between Russia and Japan following Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Kunashir Island, Deripaska noted that he believed all the recent statements by Japan were of a purely political nature, perhaps with some domestic goals in mind, but they did not affect economic relations in any way. He stressed that Russia needed Japan as a supplier of state-of-the-art technologies, and without Russia "it would be impossible to reach a balance in energy supplies for any country" in the Pacific region.