Mahathir arrives in Japan

Mahathir arrives in Japan

JAPAN: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad arrived on Thursday morning for a five-day state visit, Japan's Foreign Ministry said.

The prime minister met with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko and was to meet Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi later in the day. He was also to attend a reception hosted by Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi in the evening.

While in Japan, Mahathir is due to deliver the keynote speech at a symposium on the 20th anniversary of his "Look East" policy of having Malaysia learn from the economic successes of Japan and South Korea.

Mahathir announced the policy four months after he took office in 1981, urging his nation to emulate the work ethic of Japanese and South Koreans. It included student exchanges with East Asian universities and sending workers to Japan and South Korea for training.

The prime minister will also deliver the keynote speech at a symposium on "Islam: Fostering Peace and Dialogue in an Interdependent World" sponsored by the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Japan and United Nations University.

He will travel to the northern city of Sendai on Friday and depart Japan on Monday. -- AP