More than excellent: Japanese envoy on Tokyo's ties with Delhi

Consul general of Japan in Mumbai, Ryoji Noda said on Tuesday that India and Japan are global and strategic partners, and relations between the two countries are 'more than excellent'.

"India and Japan share the same universal values such as freedom of expression and democracy. The prime ministers of both countries visit each other once a year. The Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe had visited Ahmedabad in September, and held a Summit Meeting here," Noda said.

He said that his country was ready to share its experiences and expertise with India. Apart from the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, which is being built with funding and expertise from Japan, he cited tourism, food processing, and infrastructure as some of the other areas India and Japan could work closely.

The Japanese consul general was speaking on the sidelines of conferring 'The Order of the Rising Sun – Gold Rays with Rosette', the third highest order bestowed by Japanese government, on international tax expert Mukesh Patel. Speaking after receiving the order, Patel said that Indo-Japan friendship had taken deep roots due to the chemistry between Japan and Gujarat.