Accra, Jan.9, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Friday said it would be in the interest of Japan being a major trading partner of Ghana and the west Africa Sub-Region to encourage stabilization and development efforts in these areas for their mutual benefit.

He said the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was determined to unite the Sub-Region after the conflicts that had overshadowed development efforts of individual countries were solved. President Kufuor made the observation when Mr Kazunori Tanaka, Member of the House of Representatives of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan and Deputy Foreign Minister paid a courtesy call on him at the Castle, Osu.

Mr Tanaka, who arrived in Accra on Wednesday, would also visit Cote D'Ivoire and Burkina Faso as part of his West African tour. President Kufuor, who is also the ECOWAS Chairman, briefed Mr Tanaka on the initiative and efforts taken by ECOWAS to restore peace and stability in most of the conflict areas.

He said Ghana had to bear most of the vehicular traffic from its seaports at Tema and Takoradi to convey goods to neighbouring land-locked countries due to the conflicts.

President Kufuor said this had been a strain on Ghana's infrastructure development especially roads and commended the Japanese government for its assistance to reconstruct the Mallam -Yamoransa road that also formed part of the West African Highway corridor.

He expressed appreciation to the Japanese Overseas Volunteer Corps (JOVC) for their contribution to the health and education sectors in the rural areas.

President Kufuor said he hoped that an exchange programme would be establish for Ghanaian youth to also benefit from the Japanese discipline and culture that had made them an economic giant in the global village.

"Ghana wants to become a special friend of Japan," he said. Mr Tanaka said the visit to West Africa was to have more information on the situation in the Sub-Region to form the basis of Japan's policy on Ghana and the Sub-Region.

He said it would in addition assist Japan in her desire to reduce small arms proliferation in developing countries.