Change in governments cannot hinder Indo-Japan bilateral ties
New Delhi, Aug 21 (UNI) The ruling party in Japan today said even though there might be a change of government, there was no political leader in Japan who had any doubt about the importance of its relationship with India.
The statement by Mr Hiroshige Seko, Special Advisor to the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe comes against the backdrop of a historic defeat for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which lost control of the 242-seat upper house for the first time in a half century.
''Mr Abe can face difficulty in political management but there is no danger to any agreement undertaken with India because whoever might be the Prime Minister of the country, he cannot doubt the importance of the bilateral relations between the two countries,'' Mr Seko told reporters here today ahead of the Japanese Prime Minister's arrival here on an official visit.
''The previous government in Japan had close ties with former Prime Minister Vajpayee and the mantle has now been passed on to the present Prime Ministers Abe and Manmohan Singh. Both the Prime Ministers do face problems, but whatever will be the political outcome, any agreements reached and the bilateral relationship will be passed on to sucessive governments,'' Mr Seko said.
Mr Abe will hold discussions on the entire spectrum of bilateral realtions during his three-day visit. Both countries have great expectations from the visit, the highlight of which will be an address to both houses of Parliament by Mr Abe.
According to Mr Seko, the strategic partnership between both the countries has just started and this visit by Mr Abe will focus more on the role of India and Japan in Asia and the ways and means to enhance and consolidate bilateral relations.
''Greater interaction in the fields such as economy and science and technology and more people-to-people contacts between the two countries will dominate the discussions,'' Mr Seko said.
It is also important that the leaders of the two countries meet frequently, he said. "The process started with Dr Singh's visit to Tokyo last year and continues with Mr Abe's visit to Delhi today.
We hope Dr Singh will visit Japan again next year," he added.
Mr Abe is being accompanied by vice-chancellors of 12 leading Japanese universities and will hold talks with their Indian counterparts today to expand educational links and launch exchange and research programmes.
''Convening this dialogue is itself a major achievement. The biggest objective is to enhance exchanges between students and the prime minister has already expressed his intention to invite 500 students from India every year,'' Mr Seko said.
The Japanese leader will visit Kolkata on Thursday, where he is due to meet relatives of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and the son of Justice Radha Binodbihari Pal, the only judge who dissented at the Allied Tribunal, which condemned Japanese leaders for wartime crimes.
In his judgement, Pal had said it is a ''sham employment of legal process for the satisfaction of a thirst for revenge.'' Mr Abe will also inaugurate the Indo-Japan cultural centre in Kolkota before leaving for Kuala Lumpur on his way home.
UNI