Tokyo -- To the extent that Mongolia receives any attention in contemporary Japan, it is usually in the context of the minor scandals of former Yokozuna Asashoryu and the splendid recent performances of Yokozuna Hakuho.

It would be a mistake, however, to leave it at that, because Japan-Mongolia relations do seem to be picking up some momentum in recent months.

On Thursday, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada met in Hanoi with his Mongolian counterpart Gombojav Zandanshatar and discussed bilateral political and economic relations.