Prime Minister leaves for Japan

New Delhi, Dec 13 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left here today on a four-day visit to Japan where he will hold talks with his counterpart Shinzo Abe and other Japanese leaders to strengthen the strategic and economic content of India's ties with one of the most powerful economies of the world.

Among other issues, the India-US Civil Nuclear deal and the bid by both countries for permanent seats in the United Nations Security Council, as part of the G-4 initiative which also includes Brazil and Germany, will be high on the agenda during the discussions.

The visit is taking place at a time when there is a marked upturn in relations between the two countries, especially after then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's trip to India in April last year.

In a statement before his departure, Dr Singh said that he saw his visit as part of the increasing Eastern orientation of India's foreign policy and its quest for greater engagement with countries in the larger East Asian region.

''In the evolving regional and international environment India and Japan increasingly find that their long term political, economic and strategic interests are converging,'' he said.

Dr Singh said India-Japan relations were poised to enter a new and dynamic phase, driven by a shared desire to enhance the bilateral relationship.

He said he would use the opportunity to discuss with Mr Abe ways to reinforce the strategic focus in the global partnership between the two countries and to move to a more comprehensive economic engagement.

He said the talks would also be aimed at developing mutually beneficial cooperation over the entire range of the relationship, incluuding security and terrorism, energy, transport, science and technology and culture.

''I look forward to using this visit to elevate India-Japan relations to a qualitatively new level,'' he added.

The Prime Minister, who will reach Tokyo tonight, will be accorded a ceremonial welcome tomorrow. He and his wife, Mrs Gursharan Kaur, will be received in an audience by the Emperor and Empress of Japan tomorrow afternoon Dr Singh will meet Prime Minister Abe for official talks on Friday after which the two leaders will address a joint press conference. Mr Abe will host a banquet for Dr Singh that evening.

In what is considered to be a singular honour, the Prime Minister has been invited to address a joint session of the Diet, the Japanese Parliament, tomorrow. Dr Singh said he would use the occasion to reaffirm to the leaders of Japan, India's strong desire for closer relations.

He will inaugurate the Festival of India in Japan tomorrow evening, when the two Prime Ministers will also unveil the joint logo of the India-Japan Friendship Year 2007.

Dr Singh will address a business luncheon jointly hosted by the apex chambers of the two countries on December 15.

Dr Singh will also meet several other Japanese dignitaries during his stay in Tokyo, including former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, senior Cabinet ministers and the President of the Japan-India Parliamentary Friendship League, Dr Taro Nakayama.

The Prime Minister is due to return home on Saturday evening.

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