TOKYO, Oct 29: Pakistan and Japan have reached understanding to further strengthen bilateral ties besides studying proposals to build up their economic, commercial and trade relations.

The understanding emerged during a visit of Foreign Secretary Riaz H. Khokhar to Tokyo from Oct 27 to Oct 29 for the third round of Pakistan-Japan bilateral consultations. His principal interlocutor was Deputy Foreign Minister Hitoshi Tanaka. The foreign secretary also met Shoichi Nakagawa, the Japanese Minister for Economic, Trade and Industry and Ms Yoriko Kawaguchi, special assistant to the prime minister of Japan.

The four-and-a-half-hour long bilateral talks encompassed a broad spectrum of Pakistan-Japan relations as well as important regional and international issues like the Pakistan-India normalization process; Afghan domestic situation; the global campaign against terrorism; Iraq; North Korea's nuclear programme; and the Security Council expansion.

The two sides agreed to strive to lend true substance to all facets of bilateral ties. The foreign secretary tabled concrete proposals to make Pakistan-Japan economic, commercial and trade relations truly robust.

Acknowledging the economic and technical assistance extended to Pakistan by Japan over the years, the foreign secretary underlined the need for the earliest restitution of Japan's yen loans for Pakistan, which would serve as an impetus for the Japanese private sector investment in Pakistan.

The Foreign Secretary also handed over to his Japanese Counterpart a letter from Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz addressed to Prime Minister Koizumi, inviting him to visit Pakistan.

In his meeting with the minister for economy, trade and industry, the foreign secretary emphasised the importance of providing a strong economic underpinning to the cordial Pakistan-Japan relations.

He stated that the small trade volume was not commensurate with the quality of bilateral ties. Besides presenting specific proposals, the foreign secretary invited Mr Nakagawa to visit Pakistan.

On the last day of his visit, the foreign secretary was interviewed by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK). His final engagement was a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan. -APP