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Japan Seeks Full-Fledged Mutual Coop.

Japan Seeks Full-Fledged Mutual Coop.
Japan Seeks Full-Fledged Mutual Coop.

Japan's policy toward Iran revolves around efforts to develop full-fledged mutual cooperation, the foreign minister of the East Asian country said.

"Tokyo's policy has been founded on efforts for comprehensive expansion of relations with Iran," Taro Kono was also quoted as saying by IRNA in a meeting with visiting Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Abbas Araqchi on Friday.

Kono, who was appointed to the post earlier this month, called for a "successful model" of bilateral cooperation to be forged between the two Asian nations.

"An agreement signed between the two sides on supporting mutual investments has been put into force," the top Japanese diplomat said. "The finalization of cooperation agreements would pave the way for the full exploitation of the existing potential for expansion of bilateral trade."

Araqchi welcomed Kono's call for improved cooperation.

"We are pleased to learn that Japan is keen on developing bilateral ties, particularly in the economic sector," he said.

  Japanese Firms Welcome

The deputy foreign minister renewed an invitation for Japanese firms to invest in the Iranian economy, where rich opportunities have emerged after economic sanctions against Iran were lifted under the 2015 nuclear accord with the six major powers, namely the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany.

The landmark pact imposed time-bound restrictions on Tehran's nuclear program in return.

"I hope Japanese companies will recognize and take timely advantage of the unrivaled economic opportunities that Iran's market offers," Araqchi added.

The removal of sanctions on January 16, 2016, prompted an influx of foreign economic delegations eager to gain a foothold in Iran's vast untapped market.

In a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September of the same year, President Hassan Rouhani voiced Tehran's readiness to develop a 10-year roadmap for economic cooperation with Tokyo.

"The ground is prepared for Tokyo to invest in Iran's energy sector like in the past," he said.

The two senior officials issued a joint call for closer interactions between the two sides' private sectors.

Three months later, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif led a high-ranking trade delegation to Japan on the last leg of his three-nation tour that had also taken him to India and China.

Zarif met with Abe and former Japanese foreign minister, Fumio Kishida, to explore ways of promoting Tehran-Tokyo trade and their collaboration on regional and international issues.

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