Modi wants Japanese language teaching in Indian schools

While stressing on building language ties between the two nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday called on Japanese teachers to impart their language skills to Indian learners.

Modi was speaking in an interactive session at the Taimei Elementary School here Monday morning as he began his second full day of the five-day trip to Japan.

"We are trying to teach Japanese language in our schools. We need teachers for that. I invite you all to come to India and teach," Modi said in a tweet posted on a PMO account.

Modi, who arrived in Kyoto Saturday and was received by Prime MInister Shinzo Abe, Sunday visited the famous Toji and Kinkaku-ji temples.

Modi noted that there is a need for the Asian countries to be more prepared in area of education. He said: "The world has accepted that the 21st century is Asia's century, but we have to ask have we prepared ourselves for it."

The Taimei Elementary school, a 136-year-old institution, was destroyed by an earthquake.

The school was later reconstructed.

Modi empathised with the incident, recalling how an earthquake had jolted Bhuj in Gujarat in 2001.

Modi has talks with Prime Minister Abe later Monday.