India and Japan on Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a joint effort in science and technology, local media reports said.

The two countries hope to boost cooperation especially in five areas, namely, cooperation in open access database, nanotechnology and information, communication and technology, disaster prevention as well as human resource development and industrial research and development.

India and Japan inked the pact on the sidelines of the Fourth Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science and Technology at Kuantan, capital of Pahang state in Peninsular Malaysia, the Bernama news agency reported.

The bilateral cooperation in the five specific areas is expected to kick off this year.

Source: Xinhua