Economic, defence cooperation to figure in Modi's Japan visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a two-day official visit to Japan from November 11 for his third annual summit meeting with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, with economic and defence cooperation likely to figure high on the agenda.

The annual summit will be an occasion for the two leaders to have in-depth exchanges on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest to further deepen the broad-based and action-oriented partnership between India and Japan, said an official statement.

Modi will also have an audience with Japanese Emperor Akihito.

The two sides are likely to sign a civil nuclear cooperation pact, including a provision to assure Japan that India, which has not joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, will not use Japanese nuclear power plant technology for military purposes, Kyodo news agency quoted diplomatic sources as saying.

Both leaders are also likely to discuss defence cooperation, including joint maritime exercises between Japan, India and the US. The South China Sea is also likely to figure in the talks.

"We expect (Modi's) visit to advance the special strategic global partnership befitting a new era for Japan-India (relations) and further deepen the bonds and cooperative relationship between our countries," Kyodo quoted Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Hagiuda as saying in Tokyo.

During Modi's visit to Japan in 2014, which was his first bilateral visit outside India's immediate neighbourhood, the India-Japan relationship was upgraded to 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership'.

In the New Delhi summit of 2015, India and Japan outlined a Vision of Working Together for Peace and Prosperity in the Indo-Pacific Region and the World.

This will be Modi's second visit to Japan for the annual summit since he became Prime Minister in 2014.

--IANS

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