TOKYO, Aug 31 � Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew to Tokyo today for the crucial summit talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe tomorrow after an overnight stay in Kyoto where he visited two ancient Buddhist temples with the latter accompanying him in a significant gesture, reports PTI.
During his hectic schedule in Kyoto on the second day of his five-day visit to Japan, Modi also sought Japanese help to fight the deadly sickle cell anaemia commonly found among tribals in India when he went to the Stem Cell Research Facility at the Kyoto University and got a positive response.
63-year-old Modi and 59-year-old Abe, who share cordial relations and hit it off well during their interaction in the ancient city of Kyoto, will have a substantive summit agenda.
Cooperation in the fields of defence, civil nuclear, infrastructure development and rare earth materials is expected to top the agenda with Modi, hoping that his visit will �script a new chapter� in bilateral ties and take the strategic and global partnership to a higher level.
Some agreements, including in defence and civil nuclear sectors, are expected to be signed. Among the agreements to be signed is one on joint production of rare earth materials.
At a banquet at the Imperial Guest House in Kyoto last night, the two premiers spoke about a �strong and robust future� for bilateral ties, with Modi hoping that the two sides would strive to achieve in five years the unrealised potential of five decades.
Lauding Japan�s deep historical ties with India, Abe said he was looking forward to the summit meeting with Modi after they spent time together visiting Buddhist temples on the Indian leader�s first leg of his trip.
