Tokyo, 26/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - While Japan follows closely on the EU's heels with its announced intention to impose customs duties worth $5 million on steel products in order to respond to American measures, Romano Prodi launched, on Friday in Tokyo, when speaking before the National Diet of Japan, an appeal for strengthened cooperation between the Union and Japan. He mainly justifies this by the fact that they are both seeking to play a political role at international level that is commensurable to their economic role. Mr Prodi spoke of a number of specific areas where Japan and the EU could have closer links, if not a common cause: the environment, steel and WTO negotiations. During the evening, Mr Prodi was to meet Prime Minister Koizumi. On Monday, the Japanese Foreign Minister, Yoriko Kawaguchi, will discuss the political and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan with Javier Solana and Chris Patten, in Brussels.