Saturday, April 30 2005 11:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday (Apr 29, 2005) accepted his Japanese counterpart Junichiro Koizumi's invitation to visit that country.

Singh accepted the invitation extended by Koizumi during their talks in New Delhi, a Japanese official told reporters.

The dates for the visit will be worked out through diplomatic channels, he said.

Singh, who pointed out to Koizumi that he had visited Japan 10 times earlier, was "very appreciative" of Tokyo's help to India when it faced foreign exchange crisis soon after economic reforms were initiated in 1991. Singh was the Finance Minister at that time.

He also described as "unforgettable" Japan's help in arranging assistance from International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank during that period.