India is committed to forging deeper relations with Japan as part of its 'Look

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East' policy, which aims at closer integration with the East Asian region, Minister of State for Planning, Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Ashwani Kumar today said.

During a meeting here with a high-level Japanese delegation, headed by President of International Friendship Exchange Council (FEC) Ken Matsuzawa, Kumar called for further consolidation of the partnership between the two economic powers of Asia, an official release said.

"He told the visiting delegation that this relationship is an essential component of the Look East Policy towards a closer integration of India with East Asia," it said.

The delegation members said Japan treats India as its close friend and ally, besides as an important economic and scientific power and a dominant force for peace in the region.

The FEC is mandated to deepen international understanding and friendship between Japan and other nations.

This visit also intends to mark 60 years of the diplomatic ties

between the two countries.

India and Japan, along with Germany and Brazil, have joined hands

in recent years for reforming the UN Security Council and its enlargement

by including more permanent members.

The bilateral trade between the two countries was over $ 12.5 billion in 2011 and the target is to take it up to $ 25 billion by 2014.

India had last year entered into a comprehensive free trade pact with the East Asian economic giant.