India-Japan exchanges views on global, national issues; sets agenda for 2019

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday held a strategic dialogue with her Japanese counterpart Taro Kono during which they reviewed the progress in ties and exchanged views on regional and global issues.

At the start of the 10th India-Japan Foreign Minister-level Strategic Dialogue, both sides agreed that the visit of Foreign Minister Kono at the beginning of the New Year has provided an important opportunity for them to identify the agenda of bilateral relations in 2019.

The visit also marks an important beginning for a series of high-level bilateral exchanges this year to take the bilateral relationship to newer heights, a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement said.

During the talks, the two foreign ministers discussed follow up actions on the decisions taken during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Japan in October last year, which had opened new vistas of bilateral cooperation in areas such as regional connectivity, economic partnership, new and digital technologies, health care, renewable energy, defence cooperation, maritime security etc.

The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues of common interest, the MEA said. They reaffirmed that based on shared values and interests, the India-Japan special strategic and global partnership has acquired a broader significance in the current global context and has become a factor of prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The last round of the dialogue was held in Tokyo in March 2018.

Swaraj also congratulated Kono for Japan's hosting of the G-20 Summit in Osaka in June 2019 and promised India's full support for Japan's G-20 Presidency. Following the strategic dialogue, Foreign Minister Kono also called on Prime Minister Modi. Kono briefed the prime minister about the follow-up action taken in recent months after the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Japan.

Prime Minister warmly recalled his successful visit to Japan and reiterated his strong commitment to further deepen the special strategic and global partnership between India and Japan. Prime Minister Modi said India looks forward to the next round of annual summit with Japan, later this year.

(With inputs from agencies.)