Japanese PM to visit India for three days

Prime Minister of Japan Yukio Hatomaya will pay a three-day visit to the nation of India in order to pay tribute to the November 11, 2008 terrorist attacks and discuss trade and investment.

Relations between the states of Japan and India have been compromised over the last several years as trade and investment between the two Asian countries have declined. Japanese companies have focused on investments in China and Southeast Asia and India has been less inclined to partner with Japan. In order to revive relations and as part of a tribute to the tragic November 11, 2008 terrorist attacks, Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama will visit India for an official three-day visit, which will be his first visit to Mumbai since he took office in September, reports Press TV. The planned visit comes as India requested that a Japanese leader stopover in their country this year after the Indian Premier made a brief stop in Japan in October of last year. Times of India reports that after paying tribute to the victims of the terrorist attacks, Hatoyama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will hold an annual bilateral summit in New Delhi, according to Vishnu Prakash, India’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, “The two Prime Ministers will discuss ways to expand, enhance and strengthen the India-Japan Strategic and Global Partnership. They will also discuss regional and global issues.” Bilateral trade was $10.2 billion but goals for the two countries will be $20 billion by next year. Prior to the Prime Minister’s departure, Hatoyama told reporters, according to Xinhua, “I want to deepen discussions on various issues including disarmament, nuclear issues, climate change and the economy. I hope to advance cooperative relations (with India) in a way to benefit Japan's interests as India is a region with very high growth potential.”