A delegation comprising 17 members and led by its Chairman, Mr. Tatsuo Yasunaga from the Japan-India Business Cooperation Committee (JIBCC) called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The delegation included senior leaders from leading Japanese corporate houses across key sectors such as manufacturing, banking, airlines, pharma sector, plant engineering and logistics.
Mr Yasunaga briefed Prime Minister Modi on the upcoming 48th Joint meeting of Japan-India Business Cooperation Committee with its Indian counterpart, the India-Japan Business Cooperation Committee.
The discussions covered key areas, including high-quality, low-cost manufacturing in India, expanding manufacturing for global markets with a special focus on Africa, and enhancing human resource development and exchanges.
Prime Minister Modi expressed appreciation for Japanese businesses’ expansion plans in India and their steadfast commitment to ‘Make in India, Make for the World’. Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of enhanced cooperation in skill development, which remains a key pillar of India-Japan bilateral ties.
India and Japan Ties
India and Japan share ‘special strategic and global partnership’. Friendship between the two countries has a long history rooted in spiritual affinity and strong cultural and civilizational ties. The Shichifukujin or the seven lucky gods of Japan have their roots in Hindu traditions.
Japan and India signed a peace treaty and established diplomatic relations on 28th April, 1952. This treaty was one of the first peace treaties Japan signed after World War II. Ever since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have enjoyed cordial relations.
The India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed in 2011. Then, the agreement aimed at the abolition of tariffs on traded goods and services over the next 10 years.
Relations between the Republic of India and Japan have traditionally been strong. The people of India and Japan have engaged in cultural exchanges since ancient times. They are guided by common cultural traditions, including the shared heritage of Buddhism, and share a strong commitment to the ideals of democracy, tolerance, pluralism, and open societies.
India and Japan have a high degree of congruence of political, economic, and strategic interests. They view each other as partners that have responsibility for and are capable of responding to global and regional challenges.
Japanese companies, such as Yamaha, Sony, Toyota, and Honda have manufacturing facilities in India. With the growth of the Indian economy, India is a big market for Japanese firms.
Japanese firms were some of the first to invest in India, the most prominent of which is Suzuki, which is in partnership with Indian automobiles company Maruti Suzuki, the largest car manufacturer in the Indian market, and a subsidiary of the Japanese company.
India’s earliest documented direct contact with Japan was with the Todai-ji Temple in Nara, where the consecration or eye-opening of the towering statue of Lord Buddha was performed by an Indian monk, Bodhisena, in 752 AD.
The cultural exchanges between the two countries created many parallels in their folklore. Modern popular culture based upon this folklore, such as works of fantasy fiction in manga and anime, sometimes bear references to common deities (deva), demons (asura) and philosophical concepts. The Indian goddess Saraswati for example, is known as Benzaiten in Japan. Brahma, known as ‘Bonten’, and Yama, known as ‘Enma’, are also part of the traditional Japanese Buddhist pantheon.
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