Iran and Japan agreed on Saturday to strengthen their economic ties, reported the official Iranian news agency, IRNA.
The agency said that an economic mission sent by the Japanese government met Saturday with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and agreed to enhance bilateral economic relations.
Nobuyuki Masuda of the Federation of Economic Organizations (KEIDANREN), who heads the delegation, presented a letter from Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to Khatami, saying that Japan welcomed the Iranian Parliament's moves to promote foreign investment.
Masuda told Khatami that Japan was willing to assist small companies in Iran, train its workers and develop measures to protect the environment, said IRNA.
Khatami was quoted as saying that mutual cooperation would not only benefit the two countries, but also ensure peace and security.
In a recent week-long trip to four countries in the Middle East, including Iran, Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma agreed with Khatami on a wide range of economic cooperation, including the development by a Japanese-led consortium of Iran's Azadegan Oil Field – Albawaba.com
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