Well-intentioned people on both sides have worked hard to get back our relationship to normalcy. And they succeeded. Their efforts were rewarded with the resounding success of Prime Minister Mori s visit to India, in August 2000. India has tried hard and almost successfully come to terms with the once-alienated international community. If you look at the world atlas, especially Asian geography, this is self-explanatory.
China is in between Japan and India.
We, as two mature democracies of the region, are and should be stabilizing factors in the equation of Asian security. India and Japan cover long sea-lanes indispensable for trade and economic interchange. India and Japan, with other like-minded countries, are responsible for maintaining the safety, peace and stability along such sea lanes. Secondly, we are excellent partners in economic terms, as our economies have many complementary features. The potential of our economic cooperation is immense.