TEHRAN - Japanese Ambassador to Tehran, Akio Shirota, has said his country sees Iran a key nation in the Middle East and seeks to broaden ties with Iran in various fields.

He made the statement in a meeting with Iranian Cooperatives Minister Mohammad Abbasi in Tehran on Wednesday, IRNA news agency reported.
""Currently, over 30 Japanese trade agencies and more than 300 businesspersons are active in Iran,"" Shirota added.
Abbasi, for his part, referred to the fact that some 150,000 cooperatives are conducting various activities in Iran with nearly 25 million members. ""Cooperatives are run by the private sector and this issue can be a welcome opportunity for the two countries to expand economic ties.