TOKYO, May 24 (Bernama) -- Japan is keen to cooperate with Malaysia in undertaking mutually beneficial research on producing high-quality biodiesel using palm oil, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Tuesday.

He said there should be no problems for such cooperative efforts as research efforts in Malaysia to produce biodiesel using palm oil was already at a very high level.

"We have vast oil palm resources of high quality and supply is therefore sustainable and easily available," Abdullah said.

As such, Malaysia and Japan could pursue research efforts on using biodiesel from palm oil as an alternative energy source besides petrol, he said here after a briefing on biofuel by officials from Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry and the private sector.

The Prime Minister is on a five-day working visit to Japan with his itinerary today including an audience with Emperor Akihito at the Imperial Palace, a meeting with Singapore's former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and a visit in the morning to the Matsushita Panasonic Centre.

Abdullah told Malaysian journalists after the meeting at the Imperial Hotel that the Japanese delegation were appraised of the Malaysian government's policy to support research efforts on diversifying energy resources such as biofuels, especially using oil palm.

"The prospects are good for biodiesel using palm oil, but research must always focus on enhancing the quality of the oil consistently," he said.

There is hope in enhancing the quality of palm oil-based biodiesel.

As for his visit to the Matsushita Panasonic Centre earlier in the day, Abdullah said he was briefed and shown the company's latest technological advances using information and communications technology (ICT) in manufacturing high-quality home appliances.

During the briefing which was attended by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd's president Datuk Kunio Nakamura, the Prime Minister said he exhorted Malaysia's propensity towards producing highly skilled workers by incorporating value-added technological industries. Abdullah said he also met former Singapore Prime Minister and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew at the hotel where they had discussions on international issues, the role of China and India, and the East Asian region.

He said this was in line with the topic at the prestigious 12th Nikkei International Seminar where he will deliver a keynote address on the "Future of Asia" Thursday.

The Prime Minister said they also discussed the good relations between Malaysia and Singapore and the need to maintain their neighbourliness.

On his meeting with Emperor Akihito, Abdullah said he told the monarch that Malaysia was ready to receive him during his visit to Malaysia, particularly Perak, next month.

-- BERNAMA