On Thursday, President Ts.Elbegdorj received a Japanese parliamentary delegation headed by Satsuki Eda, the head of the Mongolia-Japan friendship group in Japan’s House of Councilors.

At the meeting, the president emphasized the role that inter-parliamentary friendship groups have had in developing Mongolia-Japan relations in all sectors.

Ts.Elbegdorj shared with the visitors the impressions he got during a visit to Japan in 2010, and said Mongolians took very seriously the natural disaster that occurred last year in Japan. He said he hoped Japan will fully recover from the disaster.

Ts.Elbegdorj said the two nations must enhance ties on a basis of mutual interests at all levels. “It is very important to create the economic partnership agreement,” he said. “I hope our countries will launch this agreement in the near future.”

The president emphasized the importance of support and help from the Mongolia-Japan inter-parliamentary group in intensifying bilateral cooperation in the mining, mineral resources, energy, infrastructure, animal husbandry, farming, and other sectors. “Japan is the ‘third neighbor’ of Mongolia,” he said. “Therefore, the development of Mongolia-Japan relations and cooperation is one of the priorities of Mongolia’s foreign policy.”

“2012 is a special year for our countries,” Ts.Elbegdorj said. “We will celebrate the 40th anniversary of our diplomatic relations. I hope our countries will reach achievements in furthering these relations.” He added that Mongolia is ready to receive high-level guests from Japan.

S.Eda thanked the government and the people of Mongolia for helping Japan after the natural disaster last year. S.Eda also noted that a Japanese parliamentary delegation intends to visit Mongolia, and said that a high-ranking cabinet official in the Japanese government will soon visit Mongolia to discuss more bilateral agreements.