Manmohan in Tokyo to seek support

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (C) and his wife Kaur (R) are greeted by Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso upon their arrival at Tokyo International Airport yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

Singh, the first Indian premier here in five years, will have a red-carpet reception throughout his stay as Japan seeks warmer relations with a fellow Asian democracy to counter frequent tension with China.

The Indian premier said Japan and India "increasingly find that their long-term political, economic and strategic interests are converging."

"I look forward to using this visit to elevate India-Japan relations to a qualitatively new level," Singh, who arrived Wednesday evening at Tokyo's Haneda airport, said on leaving New Delhi.

During the four-day visit, the Indian prime minister will sign agreements to start negotiations on a free trade pact in January and to expand flights and trade, officials said.

But despite the good feelings, Japanese leaders appear divided on one of Singh's signature foreign policy feats -- his deal with US President George W. Bush to bring India out of the nuclear wilderness.

Under the pact, the United States would export nuclear fuel and technology to India which would put its civilian-use reactors under outside scrutiny.

The deal needs to be approved by the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, which controls the movement of nuclear material and was set up to exclude India after its first atomic test in 1974.

Japan is the only nation to have been attacked with nuclear bombs and also one of the biggest producers of atomic energy, a paradox that may let it hold the keys to India's entrance into the global civilian nuclear club.

A foreign ministry official said Japan would wait for Singh's explanations and to see the final shape of the US-India treaty.

"We should wait for these developments before Japan can define its own positions," he said on condition of anonymity.

The pact still faces widespread accusations in India that it is too intrusive.