Kolkata, September 15 (Daily Kiran) : Dr. Kunimitsu Ayano, Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, recently completed a four-day visit to Kolkata and other regions of West Bengal. During her trip, she held meetings with senior officials from the state government to discuss strengthening Japan-India relations, increasing Japanese investment in West Bengal, and enhancing people-to-people connections.
In a statement released by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Ayano congratulated the West Bengal government on the formation of its new administration in May. Both parties explored various opportunities to deepen bilateral ties, agreeing to enhance their relationship as they celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations.
Dr. Ayano highlighted the status of Japanese companies operating in West Bengal and urged the state government to facilitate further Japanese investment. The ministry noted that the minister requested cooperation from the state government to promote investments from Japanese firms.
The discussions also included plans to strengthen collaboration in trade, tourism, and other sectors to enhance interactions between the two countries. During her visit, Dr. Ayano toured Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), a major shipyard under the Indian Ministry of Defence. There, she met with senior officials to discuss advancing defense cooperation between India and Japan.
This visit to GRSE is particularly significant as both nations work towards enhancing collaboration in defense and maritime sectors. Japanese officials indicated that the main focus of the discussions was to fortify defense cooperation.
Additionally, Dr. Ayano visited the Netaji Bhawan, a museum dedicated to Indian freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose. During her tour, a relative of Bose shared insights about the Indian independence movement and the historical ties between Bose and Japan.
Throughout her stay, the state minister visited several other notable locations in West Bengal. This trip comes at a time when India and Japan are preparing to celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations, viewing the occasion as a crucial opportunity to enhance cooperation across economic, defense, tourism, and cultural sectors.
The discussions held in Kolkata underscore Japan’s intent to strengthen its economic ties with West Bengal, particularly by increasing the participation and investment of Japanese companies, while also expanding connections among people and businesses from both sides.
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