TOKYO, July 9 Kyodo Prime Ministe...

TOKYO, July 9 Kyodo

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi asked visiting Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes forward Tuesday to help ease tensions between India and Pakistan through solving bilateral issues peacefully, Japanese officials said.

Fernandes told Koizumi that tensions have been alleviated despite continued deployment of Indian and Pakistani squads along their borders.

The Japanese prime minister called for calmness on both sides, citing the possibility that tensions between the sum of two units nuclear-armed nations could lead to tremendous damage, according to the officials.

Koizumi asked Fernandes at the opening of their meeting at his office, ''May I assume the Indian defense minister is visiting Japan now because there is a change for the better in tensions between India and Pakistan?'' Fernandes replied that he may.

Fernandes is onward a six-day trip to Japan until Wednesday.

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