Vajpayee, who arrived in Osaka on Friday for a five-day visit, the first by an Indian prime minister since P.V. Narasimha Rao came in 1992, was asked to sign the CTBT during a 50-minute meeting with Koizumi at the Japanese premier's official residence.

As a nation that has suffered the effects of radiation, Japan hopes that you understand our feelings with regards to nuclear arms. We hope that you would do your best ... for the early signing of CTBT," Koizumi was quoted by Japanese officials as telling Vajpayee.

The Indian leader avoided responding directly, telling Koizumi; "We have decided not to conduct nuclear tests in the future," according to the officials.

A join declaration issued after the meeting made clear that the two had agreed to differ.

"Japan took note of the efforts of the government of India to develop a broad national consensus on signing the CTBT as early as possible, to not stand in the way of the entry into force of that treaty, and to continue the unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing until the treaty enters in force," the statement said.

The CTBT cannot take effect until it has been ratified by 44 specified countries with a nuclear potential.

Neither India nor Pakistan -- which carried out a series of underground tests in May 1998, after nuclear-armed states had declared a unilateral moratorium on testing -- have signed the CTBT.

Koizumi and Vajpayee also discussed their shared support for US-led operation against terrorism, the need for multi-national efforts for the reconstruction of Afghanistan, as well as increased cooperation on a broader front the officials said.

"The two leaders announced the common resolve that Japan and India should strengthen cooperation in order to contribute toward the stability and prosperity of Asia and the world in the 21st century," the join declaration said.

Earlier in the day, Vajpayee met Japanese Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka and told her that India would willingly take part in a ministerial-level meeting to be held next month in Tokyo on the reconstruction of Afghanistan, foreign ministry officials said.

Vajpayee also met Japanese Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa and agreed to increase bilateral economic ties.

In his meeting with Shiokawa, Vajpayee said he welcomed Japan's lifting of economic sanctions against India in late October.

Vajpayee told Shiokawa that India and Japan were now positioned to compile a long-term program of economic cooperation, Japanese officials said.

India-Japan relations plunged to an all-time low when New Delhi conducted its shock nuclear tests in May 1998, after which Tokyo cut financial aid.

Bilateral ties were brought out of the deep freeze in August 2000 with a visit by then Japanese prime minister Yoshiro Mori, and

In late October, the Japanese government lifted economic sanctions against India and Pakistan in response to their nuclear tests in the light of the two countries' contribution to the US-led war on terrorism.

Vajpayee earlier met Japan's top business executives to ask for more Japanese investment in his nation, officials said.

He told Japanese business executives that the Indian government has been proactive in accommodating the needs of foreign investors and urged Japanese businesses to tap on India's human resources armed with high-tech skills.

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