By Martin Banks - 5th May 2011
Japan wants to establish creative reconstruction in the future
Takeai Matsumoto
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the secretary general of NATO, says he wants to see strengthened partnership relations between Japan and the organisation he heads.
The former Danish prime minister was speaking after a meeting with Takeai Matsumoto in Brussels.
Matsumoto had earlier met senior EU officials, including commission president José Manuel Barroso.
During the 30 minute meeting on Tuesday, Rasmussen expressed his sympathy for victims of the Japan earthquake, which killed thousands, and said that he believed that Japan would reconstruct soon.
He said that, based on a new partnership policy which emerged from a meeting of NATO foreign ministers last month, he would like to strengthen the partnership between Japan and NATO.
In a wide-ranging discussion, Rasmussen also said that that a contribution from Japan was "essential" for reconstruction in war-torn Afghanistan.
Matsumoto, meanwhile, expressed his appreciation to the international community for the sympathy shown to his country after the devastating earthquake and the offer of assistance from Rasmussen.
He said, "Japan wants to establish creative reconstruction in the future."
He said that Japan also welcomed a strengthening of the current partnership between his country and NATO.
Turning to the death of Osama Bin Laden, Rasmussen said that both he and the Japan foreign minister were satisfied with the success of the US operation and that they would continue the fight against terrorism.
Matsumoto said Bin Laden's death represented a "significant" step in tackling terrorism.
According to a spokesman for Matsumoto, the two men also exchanged views on the situation in Libya.
