<p>Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is to be chief guest at this year's Republic Day parade, in an indication of the growing importance of Japan-India relations.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Natsuo Yamaguchi, chief of Japan's New Komeito Party, a partner of the ruling coalition, said it is for the first time that a Japanese prime minister is to be chief guest at India's Republic Day parade.<br /><br />"This speaks of the importance India and Japan are giving to the relationship.. It is a symbol of this relationship," said Yamaguchi, who met Vice President Hamid Ansari and External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid earlier in the day to discuss India-Japan ties.<br /><br />"Japan and India are working on ways to strengthen their partnership," he added.<br /><br />The visit of Abe later this month comes after the visit of Japan's Emperor and Empress to India in November-end last year.<br /><br />Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko's six-day visit to India, the second time they were visiting India after 50 years, was their first visit to a South Asian country after taking over the crown.</p>
<p>Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is to be chief guest at this year's Republic Day parade, in an indication of the growing importance of Japan-India relations.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Natsuo Yamaguchi, chief of Japan's New Komeito Party, a partner of the ruling coalition, said it is for the first time that a Japanese prime minister is to be chief guest at India's Republic Day parade.<br /><br />"This speaks of the importance India and Japan are giving to the relationship.. It is a symbol of this relationship," said Yamaguchi, who met Vice President Hamid Ansari and External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid earlier in the day to discuss India-Japan ties.<br /><br />"Japan and India are working on ways to strengthen their partnership," he added.<br /><br />The visit of Abe later this month comes after the visit of Japan's Emperor and Empress to India in November-end last year.<br /><br />Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko's six-day visit to India, the second time they were visiting India after 50 years, was their first visit to a South Asian country after taking over the crown.</p>