Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday boarded the Express Train Kaiji with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe from Yamanashi to Tokyo. Yamanashi is around 110 kilometres from Tokyo and is surrounded by several mountains including Mount Fuji - the country's tallest peak at around 3,776 metres.
The two leaders left for Tokyo after spending nearly eight hours together in Yamanashi. They will hold a formal summit on Monday in Tokyo, during which strengthening bilateral security and economic cooperation is expected to be high on the agenda.
#WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for Tokyo by Express Train Kaiji with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe from Yamanashi. #Japan pic.twitter.com/tLqcs0464n
— ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2018
The informal talks on Sunday were held at a picturesque resort near Mount Fuji. The two leaders also visited a factory of industrial robot manufacturer on the first-day of a two-day summit.
Modi has said the partnership between the two countries has been fundamentally transformed and it has been strengthened as a 'special strategic and global partnership'.
Modi was affectionately received by Abe on his arrival at the Hotel Mount Fuji in the scenic Yamanashi prefecture, west of Tokyo. "Delighted to meet PM @AbeShinzo in the picturesque prefecture of Yamanashi," Modi tweeted.
The two leaders "would be holding talks through the day on deepening India-Japan ties," Prime Minister Modi's office said.
The two leaders took a stroll in the garden following which Abe hosted a luncheon for Modi at the scenic resort by Mount Fuji.
Modi presented Abe two handcrafted stone bowls and dhurries made from rose quartz and yellow quartz stone sourced from Rajasthan. A Jodhpuri wooden chest from Rajasthan with traditional work was also presented. The gifts were specially crafted on the occasion of Modi's visit to Japan.
After lunch, both PMs visited the FANUC industrial facility, which specialises in automation. PM Modi was briefed on the various robotic and automation capabilities of FANUC.
Abe later hosted Modi at his personal villa near Lake Kawaguchi in Yamanashi for a private dinner. This is the first time that Abe has invited a foreign political leader to his holiday home in the village of Narusawa in the prefecture.
