Japan, Gujarat to strengthen cultural, business ties

Japan and Gujarat, on Tuesday, signed agreements to promote bilateral cooperation in culture, business and interaction between the academia. These agreements were signed during the ongoing visit of a delegation from Gujarat led by Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel to Japan.

The delegation met officials from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Investment (METI) of Japan, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). JICA is contributing Rs 1.08 lakh crore for the bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. JETRO is coordinating and facilitating investment of Japanese companies in industrial clusters in north Gujarat. Gujarat constitutes about 40 per cent of the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) and Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), which are being developed with Japanese aid.

Patel was accompanied by Jayprakash Shivahare, CEO of Dholera SIR, Kalpesh Sheth, GM of IndextB and Mukesh Patel, President of Indo Japan Friendship Association, Gujarat.

The MoUs were signed between 115-year-old Japan India Association (JIA) on the Japanese side and Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) and Indo Japan Friendship Association. In fact, during the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Ahmedabad on September 14 last year, the Japanese first lady visited the Japan Centre at AMA and invited leaders of Indo Japan Friendship Association to visit the country.

All leading Japanese companies that have a presence in India are members of JIA, which is chaired by former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshino Mori.