Japanese FM to visit Sri Lanka

TOKYO,Japan's Foreign Minister, Masahiko Komura is considering visiting Sri Lanka, India and Uzbekistan for eight days from August 1, informed sources said Friday.

In Sri Lanka, Komura plans to attend a summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation that will be held in Colombo, the country's biggest city.

SAARC consists of eight South Asian countries including India and Pakistan. Japan has taken part in its summit as an observer since last year with such countries as the United States, China and South Korea. In India, Komura intends to hold talks with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee to confirm the two countries' efforts for an early conclusion of their economic partnership agreement.

Komura also hopes to lay the groundwork for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's planned visit to Japan by the end of this year. If South Korean Foreign Ministe, Yu Myung Hwan attends the summit, Komura may hold talks with him.

In Uzbekistan, Komura plans to meet with Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov, with the two expected to agree to strengthen bilateral economic ties.

Since Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda may reshuffle his cabinet in late July at the earliest, however, a senior Foreign Ministry official said the plans are still fluid.