PM to visit Japan in November with Nuclear-deal agenda

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Japan on November 11 and 12 during which he will meet the Emperor of Japan and also hold an annual summit meeting with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, which could seal the deal for a civil nuclear cooperation pact between the two countries.

The visit is keenly watched by a nervous China, as its ties with Japan has deteriorated sharply.

According to news agency reports, all efforts were being made to stitch a pact during Mr Modi’s visit that would pave the way for Japan to export nuclear power plant technology to the fast-growing Asian economy. If done, it would be Japan’s first civil nuclear cooperation pact with a country that has not joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

In a statement, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to Japan on November 11-12. Prime Minister Modi will have an audience with 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 Mr Modi’s Japan visit in August-September 2014 — 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, Mr Modi and Mr Abe had outlined a vision of working together for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and the world.

The MEA added, “The forthcoming annual summit will be an occasion for the two leaders to have in-depth exchanges on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest to deepen the broad-based and action-oriented partnership.”

According to reports, apart from the thrust on enhancing cooperation in civil nuclear sector, the two sides will also explore ways to boost ties in trade, including in high technology area, security and infrastructure.

During their last summit in December, the two sides had reached a basic agreement on the pact and decided that they will continue to discuss the international civil nuclear cooperation framework with respect to India.

Japan, the only country to have suffered nuclear bombings, has been seeking assurance from India that the technology will not be used for military purposes or nuclear tests. On the security and defence front, Japan is likely to emphasise on the need to strengthen bilateral coordination in maritime security as China continues to elevate its activities in the East and South China seas and the Indian Ocean. The two countries already have a maritime trilateral with the US.