India and Japan will hold their fifth strategic dialogue from Friday. During the two-day dialogue, the two sides will review and discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in key areas, including civil nuclear field, trade and security.

During the dialogue which will be led by External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba, the two sides will also discuss agenda for visit of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda in New Delhi in December.

An External Affairs Ministry release said in New Delhi today that they will review all aspects of the bilateral strategic and global partnership and discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest.

India and Japan have held three rounds of talks on the civil nuclear cooperation deal, which seems to have suffered a setback due to Fukushima nuclear disaster after the earthquake in Japan. Given that the dialogue comes just days after increased Chinese assertiveness in South China Sea and barely weeks before the East Asia Summit next month that will focus on evolving an inclusive regional architecture in which both countries have high stakes, the two leaders are expected to discuss issues relating to them.