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TOKYO : Japan's Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada held talks with Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai during a surprise visit to Kabul on Sunday, Okada's ministry said.
Okada, the first member of Japan's new government to visit Afghanistan, arrived in Kabul on Sunday on a regional tour that will also take him to neighbouring Pakistan later in the day, his ministry said.
The ministry did not immediately confirm what Karzai and Okada discussed.
Okada will stay in Pakistan until Monday and visit Indonesia Tuesday and Wednesday, the ministry added.
While in Kabul, Okada was also scheduled to meet Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta and other Afghan leaders.
"The visit is aimed at prompting Afghan officials to establish a stable government after (August's) presidential election," the ministry said in a statement.
Okada was expected to discuss Japan's contribution to war-ravaged country Afghanistan and other issues, Japanese media said.
He will also tell Pakistani leaders that Japan will "continue supporting the country's stable development while (Pakistan) undertakes anti-terrorism measures and economic reforms," the ministry said.
Okada is the envoy of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, whose Democratic Party of Japan took over Japan's government on September 16 following its landslide victory in national elections.
Since taking office, Hatoyama has said that in January he will end Japan's naval-support mission for US-led operations in Afghanistan.
But Okada has said Tokyo could offer Kabul more development aid in place of the support mission.
The Indian Ocean mission - which began in December 2001 and was periodically renewed by Japan's previous, conservative government - provides the US-led coalition with fuel and other logistical support.
Hatoyama's government is preparing its plans for helping Afghanistan ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit to Japan on November 12 and 13 as part of an Asian tour. - AFP/ms
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