Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori has arrived in Bangladesh on the first leg of a South Asian tour that also takes him to Pakistan, India, and Nepal. Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, the weeklong trip is the first visit to South Asia by a Japanese leader in a decade. Mr. Mori came to Bangladesh Saturday with an 80-member delegation that includes top Japanese officials and businessmen. His talks with Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are focusing on economic cooperation, trade and investment.
Japan is Bangladesh's largest aid donor.
Most of the aid is being used for infrastructure and social development projects. From Bangladesh, Prime Minister Mori travels onto Pakistan and India. He is visiting these countries despite continuing Japanese economic sanctions imposed on them after their nuclear tests two years ago. Mr. Mori is expected to urge both countries to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and resume peace talks. The trip's main focus is on India where Mr. Mori spends five days.