New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Dec 13, 2006)left for Tokyo on a four-day visit that aims to elevate bilateral ties to a new strategic level and expand trade and investment between Asia's leading economies.

 
Manmohan Singh will hold talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe Friday and discuss an array of bilateral, regional and global issues, including civil nuclear cooperation, comprehensive economic partnership and forging of strategic ties in the context of an emerging Asian architecture. 

A clutch of agreements in the economic field and stepping up of people-to-people and cultural contacts, including one or more direct flights between New Delhi and Tokyo, are likely to be signed during the visit.

 
He will also address a joint session of Diet, Japanese parliament  a rare honour for visiting foreign dignitaries  and launch the India festival in Japan tomorrow (Dec 14, 2006).