Japan PM assures increased investment flow to Rajasthan

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has assured Rajastan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on increased Japanese investment flow to her state saying his government was closely watching the changes in investment climate there.

"India and Japan are friends. Japanese companies are being encouraged to invest overseas and it is likely that Rajasthan too shall see increased investment flow from Japan", Abe told Raje when she called on him at his office here.

Abe welcomed her to Japan and said that the Japanese government and investors have been closely watching the improvement in the investment climate of the state

He went on to mention the strengthening of ties between India and Japan and the efforts made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a press release by the Government of Rajastan said.

Raje briefed the Japanese Premier on the recent initiatives in the state and explained in detail the growth in the Neemrana region, the country's first exclusive Japanese Industrial area, where over 200 Japanese live and work.

She was accompanied by India's Ambassador to Japan, Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa and Chief Secretary of Rajasthan, CS Rajan.

She invited Abe to visit Rajasthan and also requested him to make Japan, as a partner country for the upcoming 'Resurgent Rajasthan Partnership Summit' to be held in Jaipur in November this year.

She called on Yoichi Miyazawa, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) yesterday and discussed how the economic relations between Japan and Rajasthan could be taken to the next level. An MoU with regard to mutual cooperation, especially in the areas of investment promotion, was signed with METI.

Raje also met the Chief of Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Hiroshi Watanabe.

JBIC showed interest in water sector projects. During their talks, Watanabe mentioned that this is the first time that in internal studies, India is being ranked first as an investment destination for Japanese companies, in the short and long terms.