President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Foreign Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister of Japan Tomohiko Taniguchi.

Tomohiko Taniguchi extended Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe`s greetings to the head of state. Tomohiko Taniguchi offered condolences to President Ilham Aliyev over the casualties caused by a fire at the Republican Drug Rehabilitation Center in Baku, and noted that people in Japan were deeply saddened by this incident. He said that Japan attaches special attention to Azerbaijan`s role in stability, security and mutual understanding in the Islamic world. Tomohiko Taniguchi described the Japanese government`s appointment of an experienced ambassador to Azerbaijan as a sign of high status accorded to the development of the bilateral ties.

President Ilham Aliyev thanked for the condolences. Touching upon Azerbaijan-Japan bilateral relations, the head of state praised the Japanese government`s support given to Azerbaijan since the country restored its independence. President Ilham Aliyev also emphasized the importance of the Japanese banking sector`s assistance in modernizing infrastructure in Azerbaijan, and noted that today the two countries enjoy very high-level bilateral ties based on mutual understanding and partnership principles.

The head of state said that the Japanese ambassador is a friend of Azerbaijan and has played an active role in realizing projects implemented in the country with the support of the Japanese government.

The sides exchanged views on cooperation in implementation of infrastructure projects in Azerbaijan, banking sector, diversification of economy, agriculture and other spheres.

The head of state thanked for Shinzo Abe`s greetings and asked Tomohiko Taniguchi to extend his greetings to the Prime Minister of Japan.

AZERTAC