Asia

On Saturday, January 25, commencing at around 6:15 p.m. until around 7:35 p.m. (local time), Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is visiting the Republic of India, held a summit meeting with Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India. The overview of the meeting is as follows. Following the meeting, the two leaders signed a joint statement titled ''Intensifying the Strategic and Global Partnership.'' 

 

At the beginning of the meeting, Prime Minister Singh expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Abe for accepting an invitation as the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations. Prime Minister Abe said he was honored to be invited as the chief guest at the celebrations, the most important anniversary of India, along with expressing gratitude for the warm welcome Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan received from India when Their Majesties visited the country last year.

 

（1） Prime Minister Abe stressed the importance of maintaining the freedom of the seas and the rule of law in the Asia-Pacific region, and in response, Prime Minister Singh said he welcomes that Japan-India defense cooperation is growing stronger, including joint exercises between the Indian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the participation of Japan in joint exercises between India and the United States, and the promotion of ministerial-level exchanges, such as a visit by India's Minister of Defense to Japan this year. Prime Minister Singh also welcomed the launch of Japan's National Security Council and the establishment of consultation between the Secretary-General of Japan's National Security Secretariat and India's National Security Advisor.

（2） The two leaders also exchanged views on their perceptions of the circumstances in East Asia and other issues. Both leaders shared the view that the possession of nuclear weapons by North Korea cannot be permitted, and Prime Minister Abe requested further cooperation from India toward resolving the abduction issue. The two leaders agreed to launch bilateral dialogue on their respective relations with ASEAN.

（3） On civil nuclear cooperation, the two leaders welcomed the vigorous negotiations held thus far between the relevant authorities as well as the substantial progress resulting from them.  They shared the view that further efforts should be made towards an early conclusion of the negotiations.

 

（1）Prime Minister Abe praised the substantial progress being made in economic relations between Japan and India, and expressed the view that India's development benefits Japan, and that in the future also, Japan will continue to support India's infrastructure development and poverty reduction etc. by utilizing ODA. Prime Minister Abe explained that the Government of Japan has pledged to provide three yen loan projects (total value approximately 200 billion yen), and Prime Minister Singh expressed gratitude for Japan's ODA support. The two leaders welcomed the start of a joint feasibility study on high-speed railway system.

（2）Both leaders expressed expectation that Japan's sophisticated technologies will continue to be utilized in India's infrastructure development, and in connection with that, they shared the view that cooperation on improving the business environment in India in order to expand investment from Japan will be strengthened.

 

　Prime Minister Abe explained that the Government of Japan has decided to introduce multiple short-term visas for Indian ordinary passport holders, and Prime Minister Singh expressed his appreciation for that decision. In addition, Prime Minister Abe expressed expectation of deeper exchanges in the academic sector via the promotion of ties between higher educational institutions and the acceptance of students etc., between Japan and India.