Japanese Ambassador reaffirms deep India-Japan ties

The Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu reaffirmed India and Japan's deepening relationship during his speech at the South Asia Regional Connectivity Conference 2018.

At the high-level conference held on Thursday, Hiramatsu brought attention to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Japan, during which 32 agreements were announced, including those on connectivity.

"They (India & Japan) affirmed the need for quality infrastructure and I'm pleased to learn that the conference will further deepen discussions based on these points later today," the Ambassador said at the conference.

"India-Japan have agreed to cooperate on a specific project contributing to better connectivity in the region. For example, in Bangladesh, India will construct roads while Japan will provide bridges to better connect them," Hiramatsu said during his speech.

He also mentioned that India and Japan will work towards establishing a business platform to enhance exchanges between businesses and to develop an industrial corridor network in the region, including Africa.

Bringing attention to trilateral partnerships, Hiramatsu said, "Trilateral partnerships also play a crucial role. Notably, Japan, India and USA are engaged on how we can move forward on the promising road of better connectivity."

He also talked about India and Japan's cooperation in India's North-East region.

"India's Northeast is full of promise. It bears a possibility to be a gateway to South East Asia," the Ambassador said while tracing the deep-rooted history between the region and Japan.

The Japanese Ambassador, in his concluding remarks, talked about the various sectors in which Japan and India are cooperating.

The conference also saw the participation of US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster and a speech by Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale.