PM Narendra Modi's Japan visit: On Day 2, PM visits Buddhist temples

NEW DELHI: Cultural bonds dominated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second day in Japan as he visited the famous Toji Temple and the Golden Pavilion - the Kinkakuji Temple in Kyoto on Sunday on the eve of bilateral annual summit with Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on Monday. The summit is expected to seal a defence pact besides narrowing down differences for civil nuclear deal and ramping up economic cooperation.

Showing personal rapport with Modi, Abe personally guided Modi around Toji Temple (a World Heritage site) to take a look at its Buddhist statues and five-storied pagoda, which is a national treasure.

The temple tour, which included a stroll through the temple premises, came a day after Modi arrived in Japan and attended an unofficial dinner hosted by Abe at the Kyoto State Guest House where the two held free and frank discussions on expanding global partnership for maintaining stability in Asia.

“The two leaders also had an extensive exchange of views on the developments in the region and the world and saw in their remarkable convergence of views a great opportunity to work together for peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and the world,” according to a government statement on Saturday.