Global eco slowdown to dominate PM's visit to Japan, China

New Delhi, Oct 20 (UNI) The global financial turmoil will dominate Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's engagement with world leaders during his five-day visit to Japan and China beginning tomorrow.

Dr Singh's visit to Japan is as part of the regular annual summit-level exchanges between the two countries, while his main engagement in China is to attend the seventh Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM-7), the first participation of India (at the summit level) after it joined the grouping of 45 countries, which includes Pakistan.

Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told mediapersons that Dr Singh's visit to Japan was attached great importance in the light of growing ties between the two countries in recent years. This is his second visit to Japan as Prime Minister.

"India-Japan relations have undergone a significant and qualitative shift in recent years, propelled by the successful regular summit level exchanges since Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi visited India in April 2005." MORE UNI SH RP KN1906