Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi [Images], who is on a two-day visit to India, was accorded a colourful welcome when he visited the Delhi Public School on Friday morning.

Also see: Japanese-style welcome for Koizumi

Koizumi said India and Japan [Images] should cooperate as "true global partners" in what he termed as a "new Asian era."

Koizumi's visit is being seen as an attempt to drum up support from a fellow candidate for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Koizumi will hold talks with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh [Images] before going on to Pakistan. He will then head to Luxembourg and The Netherlands.

Photograph: RAVEENDRAN/AFP/Getty Images