New Delhi, April 29 (IANS): Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yoichi Miyazawa Wednesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and proposed a new Joint Working Group (JWG) between the two countries on civil nuclear energy cooperation.

The Japanese minister said his government was committed for providing and facilitating long-term funding to support the development of India's manufacturing and infrastructure, a release said.

Miyazawa, who has come to India with a delegation of business leaders, told Modi that they have firm plans to invest $3 billion in India in the immediate future.

The new JWG was proposed between India's external affairs ministry and Japan's ministry of economy, trade and industry.

Modi, thanking Miyazawa for bringing a strong business delegation to India, reiterated that relations with Japan was a top priority for his government as "Japan was a partner of preference for India's economic development and that the government would continue to take steps to further facilitate and accelerate Japanese investments in India".

The prime minister suggested that India and Japan should work out a special long-term arrangement for financing infrastructure and industry in India, consistent with the strategic partnership and India's enormous economic opportunities, it added.