Modi to visit Japan in November

In a bid to strengthen bilateral ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Japan from November 11 to 12, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Friday. The visit is significant as it is likely to give both sides a new opportunity to take up the civil nuclear deal which has been pending clearance from the Japanese side.

“During the visit, Prime Minister Modi will have an audience with His Majesty the Emperor of Japan and hold the Annual Summit meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. This will be the third Annual Summit meeting between PM Modi and PM Abe. During PM Modi’s visit in August-September 2014 to Japan, the first bilateral visit outside India’s immediate neighbourhood that PM Modi undertook, the relationship was upgraded to a ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’. At the last Summit Meeting in December 2015 in New Delhi, PM Modi and PM Abe had outlined a Vision of Working Together for Peace and Prosperity in the Indo-Pacific Region and the World,” the MEA said

The Hindu had reported earlier that the nuclear deal would be cleared during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Japan. Reports in Japanese newspapers had suggested the same even as Japanese officials had refused to commit.

“The forthcoming meeting will be an occasion for the two leaders to have in-depth exchanges on bilateral, regional and global issues to further deepen the broad-based and action-oriented partnership between India and Japan,” the MEA announcement said.