Japan seems to have 'Look at India' policy, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and NIKKEI, today said that just like India has a 'Look East' Policy, it seemed Japan is now moving ahead with a 'Look at India' policy.

Prime Minister Modi, who is currently in Tokyo as part of a five-day bilateral visit to Japan, said, "Like India has a 'Look East' Policy it seems Japan is now moving ahead with a 'Look at India' policy."

Inviting Japan to invest in India, PM Modi said, "Today, I have come here as the Prime Minister of India to assure you that if you have to look anywhere outside Japan, you do not need to look here or there. I do not think there is any place better than India for you."

PM Modi also shared his vision to increase trade between the two Asian nations, "In the last three days I have observed that there is a lot of scope for the two nations to work and move ahead together. You saw our yesterday's joint statement, and I understand that there is no better place for Japanese investors than India."

Recalling the efforts of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to strengthen India-Japan relations, PM Modi said, "Indo-Japan relations were cemented when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the PM and Yoshiro Mori was the PM of Japan."

"Even I had the privilege to visit Japan earlier and observed that if we inculcate the kind of efficiency, tradition, sincerity and hard work which is followed here, then people of Japan will surely feel at home in India. At that time I was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. In 2007 I came here, observed these things and tried to replicate Japan's model of governance", added Modi.