site.btaParliament Chairman Glavchev, Deputy PM Simeonov Talk with Japanese Delegation

Sofia, August 18 (BTA) - Bulgarian-Japanese friendship goes back a long time, it has a stable present and a very good future, National Assembly Chairman Dimiter Glavchev said, meeting with a delegation of the Japan-Bulgaria Parliamentary Friendship League at the House of Councillors of the National Diet of Japan, led by the League's Chairman Hiroshi Yoshida, Parliament's press office said.

The Japanese delegation is visiting Bulgaria at the invitation of Stanislav Ivanov, Chairman of the Bulgaria-Japan Friendship Group.

Glavchev stressed that the traditionally friendly relations between Bulgaria and Japan are developing actively, especially between the governments and the parliaments. He noted the important role of contacts between the two parliaments, cultural cooperation and educational exchanges. Bulgarian students show a strong interest in Japan, said Glavchev, and thanked that country for the grants for Bulgarian students and post-graduates studying in Japan.

Yoshida said the story of the two countries' partnership goes back a long way. The House of Councillors' Japan-Bulgaria Friendship League has the largest membership. "We highly value your hospitality and rich culture, as well as the fact that young people are strongly interested in studying Japanese," he said.

Later in the day the Japanese delegation met with Stanislav Ivanov and members of the Friendship League.

Deputy Prime Minister for Economic and Demographic Policy Valeri Simeonov also received the delegation, the Government Information Service said in a press release.

The sides discussed the progress of bilateral relations, a strengthening of economic cooperation, and ways to increase Japanese investments in this country and Bulgarian exports to Japan.