Japan's Prime Minister, Yukio Hatoyama, began three days of talks in India on Monday with a focus on improving relations and increasing trade between the two countries. Hatoyama, who took office in September after the long rule of the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, has seen his popularity decline to 50 percent in a recent survey. Japan and India, both major economies in Asia, have been working to strengthen their ties since Japan imposed sanctions on India following its nuclear tests in 1998. Hatoyama started his visit by meeting with Indian business leaders, such as Ratan Tata and Mukesh Ambani, at a Mumbai hotel that was targeted by gunmen in 2008. He is scheduled to hold discussions with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh later on. India, a consistent recipient of Japanese aid, is interested in understanding the specifics of Hatoyama's foreign policy, particularly Tokyo's efforts to establish a foreign policy more independent from Washington and strengthen ties with China, which has historically been a rival of India. India is keen to learn more about its role in Hatoyama's proposed East Asian community with a unified currency, similar to the European Union. Siddharth Varadarajan, a senior editor at The Hindu newspaper, noted that Hatoyama is a unique Japanese leader, different from those India has interacted with in the past decade. Varadarajan believes that Hatoyama's vision of an East Asian Community and his willingness to collaborate with China present an opportunity for India and Japan to enhance their bilateral relations on a more solid foundation rather than just focusing on maintaining a balance of power. This contrasts with the perspective in New Delhi that views Japan as a safeguard against the growing influence of China. Increasing trade and military cooperation are seen as key ways to strengthen the partnership between the U.S. and India, with Japan also providing support for the civilian nuclear deal. India's foreign ministry spokesman, Vishnu Prakash, stated that negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement are ongoing, with twelve rounds of talks already completed. Japan is currently the sixth largest investor in India, and the goal is to increase bilateral trade from $12 billion in 2008-09 to $20 billion by next year. Hatoyama's discussions in India may also touch upon climate change policies, as the two countries have differing views on the matter, especially regarding the expansion of Japanese support for renewable energy projects in India. Indian officials mentioned that talks would include Japan's proposal to provide training for ex-Taliban members as part of a $5 billion aid package for Afghanistan. India is hesitant about integrating the Taliban into Kabul's power structures. Hatoyama's administration is expected to portray the visit as a success amidst growing criticism at home. Recently, he approved a record trillion dollar budget, which will add to Japan's already substantial debt as the government grapples with a sluggish economy. Japanese voters are increasingly questioning Hatoyama's competence in dealing with difficult foreign policy matters, and the recent arrest of two former aides has led to demands for further clarification regarding a scandal involving incorrect political funding records.