Kohl courts Japanese firms

TOKYO (AFP) - The German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, asked Japanese businessmen yesterday to invest more in eastern Germany and seek co-operation between Japanese and German companies in Asia, notably in China.

The International Trade and Industry Minister, Yoshiro Mori, said in talks with Mr Kohl that Japan would send an investment mission in the next few months to eastern Germany, where Japanese investment has been negligible.

Mr Kohl left Tokyo for Seoul yesterday, ending an official three-day visit to Japan. Before his departure, he held a breakfast meeting with top executives of Keidanren, the Federation of Economic Organisations of Japan, then met Emperor Akihito and later, Mr Mori.