Tokyo - Nissan Motor Co on Tuesday announced a

New Delhi - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday embarked on a trip to Japan and China, where he was scheduled to attend the seventh Asia-Europe summit.

During his official engagements in Japan, which begin Wednesday, Singh is to hold talks with the country's new prime minister, Taro Aso, to assess the global economic crisis and ways to deal with it.

The two leaders were also to discuss cooperation on political and security issues and hold talks to finalize a broad-based economic partnership.

Tokyo - Japan's House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a bill to extend the military's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean for another year after January 15.

The bill proposed by the government enables the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Forces to continue refueling international warships involved in the US-led war in Afghanistan.

The opposition parties say the special law violates Japan's pacifist constitution.

The opposition-controlled House of Councillors was expected to vote down the bill on October 29. But it will likely receive final parliamentary approval after the more powerful lower house approves it in a subsequent vote the following day.

Tokyo - Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso on Tuesday welcomed US efforts to stabilize the global financial markets and conveyed his intention to play a leading role as Group of Eight chair in the upcoming financial crisis meeting in the US, the top Japanese government spokesman said.

Tokyo - Japan markets opened higher Tuesday after Wall Street surged overnight.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 233 points, or 2.59 per cent, to end morning trading at 9,238.59.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also up 23.04 points, or 2.48 per cent, at 950.41.