Japan`s premier telephones Manmohan Singh

Manmohan Singh was to visit Japan for three days in the first leg of his two-nation tour beginning today to November 20.

New Delhi: A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cancelled his Japan visit due to political developments there, Japanese Premier Yoshihiko Noda on Thursday telephoned his Indian counterpart on the fast paced political developments in his country.

"The two Prime Ministers welcomed the fact that the India -Japan Strategic and Global Partnership is stronger than ever before. Keeping in view that the dissolution of the Japanese Lower House of Parliament would be announced on November 16, 2012, it was felt that the visit to Japan of the Prime Minister of India can take place at a later date," official spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs, Syed Akbaruddin said. Reviewing bilateral relations, the two Prime Ministers also welcomed the conclusion of the Agreement between India and Japan on Social Security as well as the MoU on Cooperation in the rare earths industry in India and looked forward to early signing of these two documents. The two agreements were to be inked during Singh`s visit for the bilateral summit. "The two Prime Ministers reiterated their desire to maintain the schedule of Annual Summits and agreed that fresh dates for the visit of Prime Minister to Japan will be discussed through diplomatic channels," the MEA spokesperson said. Singh was to visit Japan for three days in the first leg of his two-nation tour beginning today to November 20. The second leg of visit to Cambodia for ASEAN-India and East Asia Summits will take place as scheduled from November 18. PTI