KARACHI: The Japanese counsel general of Pakistan, Toshikazu Isomura, in a meeting with the Karachi University acting vice chancellor, Prof Dr Khalid M Iraqi, said, “The Karachi University is keen to build up linkages with the Japanese universities.” During his visit to the Karachi University campus on Monday, Isomura said that bilateral friendship and Pakistan’s higher education sector could help establish strong cooperation between Pakistan and Japan in the fields of academics, research and cultural ties among educational institutions. Iraqi said the meeting was an initial step to promote connections between the Karachi University and the Japanese universities. Adding to that, he said the Japanese counsel general has assured that opportunities of lectures through video conferencing would soon be developed between the Tokyo University and the University of Karachi. Iraqi said that under the collaborative programmes, the KU faculty and students would visit Japanese universities, which would help strengthen academic and cultural relations between the faculty and students of both the countries. He said that the Karachi University would establish a Japanese language and cultural institute at its campus, which would assist the students in learning the language. Dr Iraqi presented the Karachi University souvenir to the guest. Karachi University Registrar Prof Dr Moazzam Ali Khan and Quality Enhancement Cell Director Prof Muhammad Sajideen were also present in the meeting.