New Delhi [India], March 19 (ANI): Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrived here in the national capital on his two-day visit beginning Saturday.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw received the Japanese Prime Minister at the airport.

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Kishida is scheduled to participate in the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit, besides holding bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This is Kishida's first such visit in his role as Prime Minister and the Summit would be the first meeting between the two leaders. The previous India-Japan Annual Summit took place in Tokyo in October 2018.

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The Summit will provide an opportunity for both sides to review and strengthen the bilateral cooperation in diverse areas as well as exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest so as to advance their Partnership for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

Last year witnessed increasing bilateral and multilateral engagement between India and Japan, and further strengthening of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.

The two sides maintained the momentum in ties through virtual meetings and phone calls despite the pandemic.

Prime Minister spoke to the then Japanese Prime Minister Suga on April 26, 2021, to exchange views on the management of the pandemic and for strengthening cooperation in the post-COVID-19 world.

Both nations also witnessed further strengthening of bilateral security and defence cooperation. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)