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Special Envoys of the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Masakazu TOYODA and Ambassador Yoshinori KATORI, who are visiting India, met on December 12 with H.E.Mr. Kamal Nath, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Shivshankar Menon, Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs and Mr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission. At the beginning of the meetings, the Envoys expressed their condolences in respect of the act of terrorism that occurred in Mumbai the other day, to which the Indian side expressed its appreciation and stressed its intention to cope with terrorism in cooperation with the relevant countries including Japan.
The Envoys exchanged views on the appropriate policy to pursue in order to promote economic growth and development in Asia in light of the current global financial and economic crisis. In the meetings, the two Special Envoys explained that in Japan’s view, it is important on the one hand for the Asian countries to cooperate and to respond to the impacts of the global financial crisis and on the other hand to strengthen Asia’s growth potential and expand domestic demand. They conveyed Japan’s view that it is important for the leaders of the East Asian countries to share concrete policy directions and to announce their determination to take united actions at the East Asia Summit and ASEAN plus 3 Summit meetings. They asked for the support and cooperation of the Government of India.
The Indian side welcomed Japan’s view explained by the Envoys with great interest, which he promised to share among the Government of India, including the Prime Minister who is interested in Japan’s initiative and also expressed their willingness to cooperate with Japan in coping with the current global financial and economic crisis. The Indian side shared their view with Japan on the importance of mobilizing private funds with respect to the strengthening of the growth potential and the expansion of domestic demand. The Indian side also stressed the importance of the early implementation of Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor projects, which will be a good precedent for the sub-region-wide development in Asia, as well as the necessity of the East Asia Summit and ASEAN plus 3 Summit meetings to be held as soon as possible.
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