“The Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and the Bulgarian Parliament Speaker Ognyan Gerdzhikov agreed on the need to boost bilateral relations,” a Japanese government official said, quoted by Japanese media. In a brief meeting at the official residence of Koizumi, Gerdzhikov told him that although Bulgaria's major goals are to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union, strengthening relations with Japan is also important for the country. Gerdzhikov thanked Japan for providing Bulgaria with economic assistance and called for more Japanese investments. Gerdzhikov, heads a Bulgarian delegation that is in Japan since November 12 for a six-day visit.