ISLAMABAD, May 3: Japan on Saturday agreed to lobby with members of the G-8 to support Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts and also its initiative for the socio-economic development of the tribal areas.

Japan is the current chair of G-8, the elite group of industrialised nations, and will be hosting its summit meeting in Hokkaido in July this year.

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani had requested visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura to convey Pakistan’s stance on counter-terrorism to other G-8 countries; remove the misgivings in the West about the new government’s strategy for tackling terrorism and mobilise international support in its favour.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to war on terror, Prime Minister Gilani reiterated that there would be no compromise with the militants and his government would only reach out to peaceful tribesmen.

Mr Gilani said the government was also willing to enter into a dialogue with those who renounced militancy and put down weapons.

“I was asked to communicate Pakistan’s strategy to the international community, which I would do so,” said Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura at a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the foreign office after bilateral talks.

Mr Koumura said that as the chair of the G-8 he would emphasize on the other members that it was very important to help Pakistan’s efforts.

Japan agreed to take a lead in formulating policy measures to support the socio-economic development of tribal areas as part of the overall strategy against terrorism.

The Japanese foreign minister said his government was ready to double its support in this respect and would be providing assistance worth 770 million yen.

Mr Koumura exchanged notes with Mr Qureshi to extend soft loans worth $478 million to Pakistan for four power, irrigation and road projects.

Japan has doubled its annual Yen Loan Package, which Mr Koumura said was a clear indication that the country was willing to support socio-economic development of Pakistan.

Mr Koumura said Japan attached great importance to its longstanding friendship with Pakistan and believed that its stability and development was directly linked not only to peace and stability of the region, but that of the world also.

Foreign Minister Qureshi called for relaxation in the fruit and vegetable quarantine system of Japan for helping Pakistani exporters.

In their bilateral talks Japan lodged protest with Pakistan on the test firing of the nuclear ballistic missile, said Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Kazuo Kodama at a subsequent press briefing.

Japan, he said, attached great importance to reinforcement of global disarmament and non-proliferation.

He hoped Pakistan would sign Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

Mr Kodama said Japan at the bilateral talks appreciated the consolidation of exports control regime and asked for even stricter controls and transparency.

In his talks with Foreign Minister Koumura, President Musharraf emphasized on enhancing the bilateral trade.

The trade between the two countries is close to $2 billion, but President Musharraf believed it was much lesser than the actual potential.

He asked for more Japanese investment in high tech areas in Pakistan.

Mr Koumura called on PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

A delegation of PML-N comprising federal senior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, PML-N chairman Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, Senator Zafar Iqbal Jhagra and Mohammad Mehdi called on the Mr Koumura.