India today discussed with Japan, reeling under its worst nuclear crisis in the past six decades, “various aspects” related to atomic energy.
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, the first high-level official to visit Japan after last month’s twin disaster, also offered India’s assistance in “any way required”, to which the Japanese side expressed its appreciation for the help provided to it so far.
Ms. Rao held discussions with Japanese Vice-Foreign Minister Kenichiro Sasae and Deputy Foreign Minister Koro Bessho in Tokyo during which she also conveyed that India had not yet taken a decision on banning Japanese food imports, a release from the Ministry of External Affairs said here.
India will consult Japan prior to taking a decision on the advisory issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, she told the Japanese side.
Pointing to the importance of nuclear power as a clean source of energy for India’s continued growth, the two sides exchanged views on various aspects related to nuclear energy. .
“Both sides will continue to discuss the way forward for cooperation in this sphere,” the release said.
A magnitude 9.0 earthquake on March 11 devastated northeast Japan and damaged the atomic facility at Fukushima that is presently the centre of the country’s worst nuclear crisis since World War II. The nuclear mishaps in Japan raised question about the safety of nuclear plants in India, forcing government to come out with a report on the issue.
Ms. Rao held constructive and useful discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues during which both sides agreed to have Ministerial-level Economic Dialogue apart from initiating an India-Japan-U.S. trilateral dialogue.
“The two sides agreed that the new Ministerial-level Economic Dialogue, announced by the Prime Ministers at their Annual Summit in Tokyo in October 2010, will be led by the Foreign Ministers of the two countries. The first meeting of the Dialogue will take place later this year,” it said.
It was also agreed to establish an India-Japan-United States trilateral dialogue on regional and global issues of shared interest. These consultations, agreed to earlier by the U.S., will be conducted by the Foreign Ministries of the three countries.
She also called on Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto.
