During a meeting at his office in Tokyo, Hatoyama conveyed Japan's decision to provide grant aid worth roughly 41.9 billion yen to Romania to help build a subway system to connect the capital Bucharest and an airport.

"I'm delighted to be able to discuss nuclear nonproliferation, climate change and the question of Afghanistan," Hatoyama said at the outset of the meeting.

Hatoyama said he wishes to develop a "win-win" relationship between Japan and the European Union, to which Romania belongs, and deepen discussions with the European Union for a future economic partnership agreement between the two economies.

Basescu said he hopes Japanese businesses will take more of an interest in Romanian industries and businesses because they could develop partnerships with their Japanese counterparts in fields such as geothermal power generation and agriculture, according to the ministry.

On Afghanistan, Hatoyama said Japan will focus its efforts on nonmilitary contributions, such as civilian reconstruction and the training of the local police force, while expressing his appreciation for Romanian efforts to maintain security in southern Afghanistan.

Basescu said he thinks highly of Japan's civilian assistance to the country, noting that cooperation in this area is as important as that in the military field, the ministry said.