ISLAMABAD, May 25: Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Friday held talks with her Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba on regional and global issues, particularly those pertaining to the situation in Afghanistan.

During the talks in Tokyo, Ms Khar underlined the need for increased bilateral exchanges between the two sides, said a message received here.

Mr Gemba invited Ms Khar to a conference on Afghanistan, to be held in Tokyo in July this year. Foreign Minister Khar accepted the invitation.

On her part, she invited Foreign Minister Gemba to visit Pakistan this year which marks 60 years of relations between the two countries. Mr Gemba expressed his intension to visit Pakistan at the earliest.

Ms Khar thanked the Japanese government for the socio-economic assistance it extended to Pakistan in the last six decades.

Both the ministers agreed that President Asif Zardari’s visit to Japan last year had set the guidelines for further cementing relations between the two countries.

Ms Khar praised the Japanese support towards Pakistan’s efforts to eradicate polio.

She also addressed the 18th International Conference organised by the Nikkei Forum on the Future of Asia and outlined her vision of sustainable growth based on good governance, entrepreneurship and innovative management engaging the youth of the country.

She elaborated upon the steps taken by her democratic government in making transformational changes in the lives of the people of Pakistan.—APP