Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday stressed on strengthening the historic India-Japan ties and enhancing cooperation between the two countries in a special interaction with the Governors of Japan. During this, he said that this meeting is a happy occasion for him, as the Governors of Japan are a living symbol of their diversity and energy.
The relationship between India and Japan is thousands of years old
In his address, PM Modi said, “I feel that this room has the pace of Saitama, the strength of Miyagi, the vibrancy of Fukuoka and the fragrance of the heritage of Nara. All of you have the warmth of Kumamoto, the freshness of Nagano, the beauty of Shizuoka, and the pulse of Nagasaki. All of you have the strength of Mount Fuji and the symbol of the soul of Sakura, which make Japan timeless. The relationship between India and Japan is thousands of years old, which is connected to the compassion of Lord Buddha and the courage of heroes like Radhabinod Pal.”
Gujarati diamond traders came to Kobe in the last century
Citing the example of his home state Gujarat, he said that in the last century, Gujarati diamond traders came to Kobe, while Hama-Matsu companies brought revolution in India’s automobile sector. This entrepreneurship connects the two countries. Today, new chapters are being written in the fields of trade, technology, tourism, security, skill and culture, which are not limited to Tokyo or Delhi, but are alive in the thinking of states and provinces.
Vibrant Village Program
Referring to his 15 years as Gujarat Chief Minister, the Prime Minister said that he focused on policy-based governance, promotion of industry, strong infrastructure and creating an environment for investment, which is today known as the “Gujarat Model”. After becoming Prime Minister in 2014, he incorporated this thinking in the national policy. He instilled a sense of competition in the states and made them a platform for national development. Like the provinces of Japan, every state of India has its own identity, somewhere it has a beach, somewhere it has mountains. To convert this diversity into advantage, ‘One District One Product’ campaign, Aspiring District-Block Program, and ‘Vibrant Village Program’ were started to bring remote villages into the mainstream, which are now becoming centers of development.
The responsibility of the governors of Japan is considered important
Describing the responsibility of the governors of Japan as important, he said that their provinces are centres of technology, manufacturing and innovation, many have economies bigger than many countries. Therefore, the future of international cooperation is in their hands. He talked about taking the existing partnerships Gujarat-Shizuoka, Uttar Pradesh-Yamanashi, Maharashtra-Wakayama, Andhra Pradesh-Toyama from paper to people and prosperity.
PM Modi invites Governors of Japan to visit India
Under the ‘State-Province Partnership Initiative’ launched with Prime Minister Ishiba, delegations from three Indian states and three Japanese provinces will visit each other every year. He invited the Governors to visit India and called for cooperation for shared progress. He said that startups and MSMEs from small cities in Japan and India can come together to exchange ideas, innovate, and create opportunities. With this idea in mind, the Business Exchange Forum is being started in Kansai, which will open new avenues for investment, startup partnerships, and skilled professionals.
PM Modi stressed on the connection of youth
Emphasising on the youth connection, the Prime Minister said that an action plan has been launched to bring Indian students to Japan’s world-renowned universities and to exchange five lakh people in the next five years. Also, there is a plan to send 50,000 Indian skilled professionals to Japan, in which the provinces will play an important role. He hoped that Tokyo and Delhi will take the lead and Kanagawa-Karnataka, Aichi-Assam, and Okayama-Odisha will together create new industries, skills, and opportunities.
