India and Japan: News and Discussion

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 19 Oct 2014 05:41

Japan's new security policy to help 'close friends': Envoy - PTI, ET

Japanese Ambassador to India Takeshi Yagi today said that the country's new security policy would help 'close friends' like India if the need arises.

Speaking at a seminar organised by Observer Research Foundation, he said that Japan's new security policy enabling its military might to expand its operational range had attracted criticism from other countries.

The ambassador said that the new policy on security does not tantamount to return to militarisation.

"We will stick to the path of peace," he said. Referring to the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Japan, the ambassador said the bilateral ties between the two countries encompassing all the aspects would receive a great boost, particularly in defence.

He also said that both India and Japan could play a significant role in the Indo-Pacific regional cooperation.

sampat · Post by **sampat** » 20 Oct 2014 18:37

Blow to Japan PM as minister resigns over money scandal

schinnas · Post by **schinnas** » 20 Oct 2014 18:59

SSridhar wrote:I do not understand the reply given by the MEA Spokesperson. It looks rude and unnecessary to me to give this harangue on a simple straightforward question, unless there is something else to the story or the journalist who asked the question.

+1. While I agree with the spokesperson's stand that we don't comment on such issues publicly and being worlds largest democracy does not mean we publicly comment about every issue / dispute that happens everywhere. However, the spokesperson could have communicated that in a way that isn't very rude.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 25 Oct 2014 09:24

Super 30 students offered Tokyo scholarship - Amarnath Tewary, The Hindu

Students of Super 30, the Patna-based coaching institute for IIT-JEE, celebrated Diwali on Thursday with a team of professors from Tokyo University. The visiting team also announced that one student of the Super 30 would be given a scholarship for pursuing higher education in Japan.

“We’d heard a lot about Super 30 and wanted to be with the talented students to share their experience. Diwali is a special occasion to share joy with the students,” said Yashino Harisho, senior faculty member from Tokyo University. The coaching institute is run by Anand Kumar for underprivileged students to crack the engineering entrance examination for the Indian Institutes of Technology [IIT]. Since its inception in 2002, over 300 students from the institute have already cracked the IIT-JEE.

Japan’s industrial group GGC has also sent gift packs and sweets for the poor students. Mr. Kumar visited Tokyo University for a lecture last year. Earlier, NHK, a television news channel in Japan had made a documentary film on Super 30 following which several other Japanese channels such as Amazon TV, Kansai Telecasting Corporation and TV Man Union also documented the work of the institute.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Oct 2014 04:18

Japan telecom giant SoftBank to invest $10bn in India - ToI

Japanese telecom and internet giant SoftBank on Monday announced its intent to invest nearly $10 billion (around Rs 60,000 crore) in India over the next few years, with Masayoshi Son, the $92 billion conglomerate's chairman and founder, expected to kick off investments during his trip to India, where he is expected to meet several entrepreneurs .

Son mentioned the investment intention during his meeting with communications and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, an official statement said, adding that India is "the top most priority for SoftBank".

Japan's richest man, who had invested $20 million in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba in 2000, is eyeing investments in e-tailing and technology companies in India, said sources privy to the discussions. Son is learnt to have suggested that the Centre should speed up the rollout of telecom infrastructure and quickly move to nationwide 4G services.

SoftBank is leading a $650-million financing round in Delhi-based e-commerce player Snapdeal, the biggest by any Japanese investor, and also pumping in as much as $180 million in taxi hailing startup Olacabs which competes directly with Uber.

Softbank so far runs a joint venture with Indian telecom major Bharti (Bharti Softbank) here and has invested in Bangalore-based mobile advertising network InMobi. The mammoth investment plan from SoftBank comes at a time when privately held Indian consumer tech companies are witnessing soaring valuations and seeing investors line up expecting high returns. Sources said SoftBank had also held talks with mobile payments companies Paytm and Freecharge and that Masa will be meeting a few other startups on his India trip.

Fifty-seven-year-old Son is Japan's richest man with an estimated net worth of $20 billion having surpassed Tadashi Yanai, chairman of Fast Retailing which runs Uniqlo, post Alibaba's IPO. SoftBank is the single largest shareholder in the Chinese e-commerce behemoth with a 34% stake in the Jack Ma-led company. SoftBank had acquitted the US mobile services provider Sprint in 2012 and had made attempts to buy T Mobile earlier this year ( the bid was later withdrawn) to collectively take on the two biggies AT&T and Verizon in the American mobile market.

SoftBank is expected to have picked up about 20-25% stake in Snapdeal and Olacabs each, however, this could not be independently confirmed by TOI. A venture capitalist on conditions of anonymity said that SoftBank only comes in when it can pick up a significant minority stake in ventures which is the case in both Snapdeal and Ola, he said.

pankajs · Post by **pankajs** » 28 Oct 2014 20:10

pratul sharma ‏@pratulsharma8 1h1 hour ago

Culture Minister Sripad Naik kick started 20 cities festival of India in Japan. First major such festival of indian arts @NewIndianXpress

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 03 Nov 2014 16:39

Manmohan Singh chosen for Japan national award - PTI

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been chosen for one of Japan’s top national awards for his contribution to India-Japan ties, becoming the first Indian to receive the rare honour.

Dr. Singh will be awarded ‘The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers’ for his “significant contribution to the enhancement of relations and promotion of friendship” between Japan and India for about 35 years, a Japanese Embassy statement said here.

It is a “high level National Order” and a rare honour awarded to those who are recognised for their distinguished contribution, it said, adding “Manmohan Singh is the first Indian recipient of this Order.”

Dr. Singh said he was truly honoured and felt “humbled by the love and affection showered upon me by the people and government of Japan.”

He said it had been his dream to see India-Japan relationship grow and prosper and “this is an objective towards which I have worked, not only in my tenure as the Prime Minister of India, but across the larger part of my career in public service.”

Dr.Singh, who served as the Prime Minister for 10 years from 2004, said he was heartened to witness today the transformation in India-Japan relations into a durable partnership.

He is among 57 foreign recipients named for the 2014 Autumn Imperial Decorations.

“India and Japan have a shared vision of a rising Asia. Over the past decade, therefore, our two countries have established a new relationship based on shared values and shared interests.

“I have no doubt that with the common efforts and initiatives of the people of Japan and India, we will scale greater heights in our bilateral relationship in future,” Dr. Singh said in a statement.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 11 Nov 2014 02:30

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-ja ... ne-2033916
Japanese PM Shinzo Abe to host dinner for Narendra Modi in Brisbane

Reflecting the "warm rapport" they share, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend a dinner hosted by his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe for him on November 14 in Brisbane, where they will be attending the G20 summit.According to sources, Abe, who had hosted a dinner for Modi at the Imperial Guest House in Kyoto during his visit to Japan, will organise the evening meal which reflects the "exceptionally warm and friendly" equation both the leaders share.Both Modi and Abe will be in Brisbane to attend two-day G20 summit from November 15. Modi will be straight travelling to Australia from Myanmar, where he will attend ASEAN and East Asia summit.During his Japan visit in August, Modi and Abe struck a warm rapport and were full of praises for each other's leadership, the sources said.Modi also wished Abe on his birthday in September and said, "I pray for his long life, good health & wish him the best in leading Japan to new heights of progress." Recalling his interactions with the Japanese Prime Minister, Modi had also tweeted that, "Whenever I interact with Prime Minister Abe, I cannot but marvel at his insight & expertise on a wide range of issues, both local & international."

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 11 Nov 2014 07:37

Infrastructure biggest bottleneck for investment: Japan Minister Nishimura - Suhasini Haider, The Hindu

Q: At your speech in New Delhi, you spoke about the investment climate in India, and raised your concerns. What do you think should be the priority for the Modi government to improve the climate?

A: I would like to start with the perception of the Japanese people, which has changed because of the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We very clearly see the government’s desire for promoting and encouraging investment. In fact many companies are thinking once again of investing in India. What they have been asking for is an improvement in administrative procedures in India. PM Modi responded in the joint declaration signed with PM Abe to set up a Japan-plus desk, a help desk, which will respond as a single-window system to all issues that companies may have. We now have a lot of expectations from this desk at DIPP in the Commerce Ministry and hope that more such decisions to help environment will be taken.

Our other concern is the provision of infrastructure. This is the second major issue that has to be tackled. This includes power, electricity and the transport network. The cold chain is very important. One study says about 40% of India’s agricultural produce goes waste due to non-availability of cold chain systems. The agricultural produce is 15% of India’s GDP, so it is a huge figure. Better systems would help promote agriculture, as well as the food processing industry to bring in investment.

Q:Are these time-bound expectations? Japan has taken a lead in announcing investment for India this year, and PM Modi’s government has already completed six months. Is there a deadline for these reforms?

A:I don’t think there is any reason to lose hope. There are many reforms that are required, and I don’t think any government can produce these overnight. So long as there is a step by step forward movement, I think the expectations can be reached. Japanese companies will move forward with investment, but only if there is a visibility with regard to these reforms.

Q:PM Modi’s visit was marked by $35 billion in investment commitments. Specifically, where would the Japanese government expect these to come from?

A:Firstly, I would like to clarify that this figure of 3.5 trillion yen is private and public investment combined, for a period of five years. The amount would cover many things, including the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), metro transports, bullet train high-speed railway and such projects. It also includes assistance to power generation industry. As the infrastructure investment shows results, we expect that private Japanese investors will also take an interest. In particular, we want to support PM Modi’s ‘Make in India’ programme.

Q:In a previous visit by Manmohan Singh too Japan had committed upto a $100 billion, including on the DMIC, but much of that investment has not been able to come in, partly due to procedural problems…. Are you worried about the danger of bottlenecks you have spoken of here as well?

A:We have promised this 3.5 trillion yen in private and public investment with the hope they will be completed. But one must take into account several factors: the global environment, the economic scenario within India, and also in Japan. But also you should be very clear that the needs on both sides make it obligatory on our part to move towards the execution on this investment.

Q:I ask this because, even before PM Modi had visited Tokyo, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce had written a letter expressing its concerns over the lack of movement on certain infrastructure commitments, particularly on the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial corridor. Is there a worry about Centre-State relations as well?

A:As far as procedures are concerned, we believe PM Modi is forward looking and has set up the Japan desk, and with regard to the regional Centre-State issues, we have been asking for greater clarity on procedures and we believe there will be some movement on that end too.

Q:Finally, you have said that the synergy between Abenomics and Modinomics is necessary for India’s growth. What did you mean by that?

A:Abenomics includes Japanese investment to the world as well as investment in Japan. The Japanese population is on the decline, and if you go by the current rate, it will reduce by half to 86 million, and this would mean this would mean a huge demand (for labour, as well as for markets). So if you take the demand needs, and India’s need for development, you would have a template for the future. We hope that not only will Japanese companies move towards India, more Indian companies, including IT companies would move to Japan. When I linked Abenomics and Modinomics, I also am aware of Mr. Modi’s priorities, including infrastructure, tourism and skill-building. There is a commonality in our interests there. Japan also needs to simplify its procedures, our foreign investment is just 3% of our GDP, which is low compared to the OECD average of 30%, and we need to do more as well.

RSoami · Post by **RSoami** » 18 Nov 2014 23:54

http://indianexpress.com/article/world/ ... snap-poll/

Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe puts off tax hike, calls snap poll.

Suraj · Post by **Suraj** » 19 Nov 2014 00:21

That was easy to see ahead. Japan just announced a 2nd quarter of negative GDP growth, signaling a recession. The opposition is in disarray. If Abe wants to cement his position, now is the best time to call a poll.

Agnimitra · Post by **Agnimitra** » 23 Nov 2014 15:00

Japan assures China it will stay out of Arunachal projects

China said on Tuesday that it had received a "clarification" from the Japanese government saying Tokyo would not involve itself in infrastructure projects in Arunachal Pradesh.

Responding to reports in India which said the Border Roads Organization (BRO) had given 'strategic' projects to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) along the China border, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the Japanese government had made clear that it would not involve itself in projects in 'disputed areas' between India and China. Officials clarified this included Arunachal Pradesh, which China has territorial claims on.
...
India's BRO has sought help from the JICA to push forward long-overdue infrastructure projects in India's Northeast. The JICA has been roped in to provide assistance for a number of road projects. According to the Japanese agency's website, it is currently involved in various projects in the Northeast in Sikkim, Assam, Mizoram and Tripura.

The Japanese government's clarification suggests that at least in Arunachal - and along the strategically significant China border where India's infrastructure is especially lagging behind that of its neighbour - the BRO will have to move forward without Tokyo's assistance.

arun · Post by **arun** » 23 Nov 2014 15:54

^^^

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei's Regular Press Conference on November 18, 2014 …………………..

Q: Recently, there are reports saying that the Indian government will cooperate with the Japanese side to build a 2000-km strategic road in the disputed area of the eastern section of the China-India boundary. Japan International Corporation Agency landed the contract, and will provide financial assistance and technical expertise. What is China's comment?

A: We have noted the report and checked with relevant authorities. The Japanese side has clarified that their cooperation project does not involve disputed parts of the China-India boundary.

MOFA of PRC

Agnimitra · Post by **Agnimitra** » 23 Nov 2014 16:17

^^ Since Syed Akbaruddin was brusque and dismissive when a Japanese reporter inquired about India's position on PRC-Japan maritime territorial disputes, it is only natural that Japan should be equally unwilling to stick its neck out in any confrontation India is involved in.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 03 Dec 2014 16:11

India-Japan can work together to tackle cybercrime: Ravishankar Prasad - PTI, The Hindu

Minister for Communications and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday said India and Japan could leverage each other’s prowess in technology to jointly work in areas like green technologies, cyber security and ICT (information and communication technologies) development.

Speaking at the second meeting of the India-Japan joint working group on ICT, Mr. Prasad said the Indian government had launched a massive programme to digitalise administrative functioning with the sole objective of improving efficiency and delivery of services.

“India has taken a big leap forward in letting technology play a pivotal role in brining about the much needed change in governance in India. With friends like Japan, there is a natural scope to help us in achieving this objective,” he added.

This is the second meeting of the group, which was formed in October 2013 to boost bilateral trade in the field of ICT.

Mr. Prasad is leading the Indian delegation, while Yasuo Sakamoto, Vice Minister for Policy Coordination, International Affairs, is heading the Japan team.

Mr. Prasad said the programme will benefit greatly with the help of a tested ally like Japan, which has established supremacy in ICT. It is also expected to help in increasing trade manifold between both the countries, which is currently about one per cent.

The group is also exploring cooperation in national ID application and utilisation project.

Yasuo Sakamoto said the economic cooperation between the two countries is on the verge of a new turning point and the opportunities are abundant.

He added that entrepreneurs from both the countries can collaborate in fields of cyber security or green ICT.

We know where from common cyber security threat emanates for our two nations.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 15 Dec 2014 08:03

Japan's ruling coalition wins big in elections

Big Win For Japan's Modi

TOKYO (AP) -- Japan's ruling coalition won a solid victory in lower house elections Sunday, giving Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democrats up to four more years to pursue a wide range of economic and political reforms.The conservative Liberal Democratic Party, which has ruled for most of the post-World War II era, locked up a solid majority of 291 seats and with its coalition partner, the Buddhist-backed Komei party, will hold more than two-thirds of the House of Representatives, national broadcaster reported.Abe said his top priority was the economy, which fell back into recession after a tax hike in April. "Economy first," he told national broadcaster NHK, adding that he would also tackle other major issues, including national security.The U.S. government hopes Abe will be able to win passage of a series of bills needed to expand Japan's military role, so that it can play a bigger part in their alliance. A heated debate is expected when parliament takes up the legislation, likely after local elections in April.With most of the votes counted, the ruling coalition claimed 326 seats, with the Liberal Democrats' 291 and 35 for the Komei party, according to NHK. The main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan, had about 73 seats — a stronger showing than many had expected.
Share prices have risen and many companies have reported record profits, but wages have failed to keep pace with inflation and slack demand is discouraging business investments needed to spur faster growth."I believe this shows that voters gave the Abe administration a positive evaluation over the past two years," said Finance Minister Taro Aso, who retained his seat in parliament. "Abenomics is still halfway through, and I feel a strong sense of responsibility to push it further."In Washington, the White House congratulated Abe on his election victory, calling the U.S.-Japan alliance "the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific." The White House statement expressed appreciation for Abe's "strong leadership" on a wide range of issues from typhoon relief in the Philippines to the Ebola response and the international fight against the Islamic State group.
Abe's win reflects less his own popularity than public disappointment in the lack of a viable opposition party. The Democratic Party of Japan lost power in 2012 after three years in office, struggling in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters and failing to deliver on campaign promises.Abe's agenda includes labor market reforms and securing a trans-Pacific trade agreement that is strongly opposed by the powerful farm and medical lobbies.He also hopes to begin restarting some of Japan's nuclear power plants, despite continued public concerns after the meltdowns at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

member_28714 · Post by **member_28714** » 15 Dec 2014 15:19

Abe needed this.

This is also a very strong message from the Japanese people to the Chinese. Eleven will be pissed. All the propaganda that Abe is causing strain in their relationship did not wash with the people.

Kashi · Post by **Kashi** » 16 Dec 2014 11:09

George wrote:This is also a very strong message from the Japanese people to the Chinese. Eleven will be pissed. All the propaganda that Abe is causing strain in their relationship did not wash with the people.

Actually, Chinese opinions and/or relations hardly mattered in these elections. People voted for Abe, because there is no one else, China was no factor during campaigning. It was all about economy.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 17 Dec 2014 10:05

George wrote: All the propaganda that Abe is causing strain in their relationship did not wash with the people.

George, this is not a referendum on Abe's China policy. Anyway, it is worth noting that more Chinese have been visiting Japan in the last couple of years than the years before. Link

After a hiatus caused by soured bilateral relations, Chinese are traveling to Japan again. Chinese arrivals doubled in July to 281,200 people, compared to the same month last year. They also topped international arrivals for the first time since July 2012. Between January and July, the total number of Chinese visitors to Japan swelled 90.8% year-on-year to 1,290,300, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.

JNTO attributed the growth to the increased number of chartered flights and cruises, and the success of promotional activities carried out by travel agents. The tourism organization has stepped up its campaign through collaborations with cruise companies and tour operators to capitalize on the peak summer season.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 17 Dec 2014 10:18

Japan banks to bulk up India presence on improving ties - Reuters, ET

Faced with a shrinking economy and tepid loan demand at home, Japan's largest banks are looking to bolster their presence in India, enthused by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reform agenda and improving ties between the two countries.

While some European and US lenders are sitting on the fence after being bruised by the country's sharp slowdown, Japanese banks are betting aggressively on Modi's pledge to restart growth and attract foreign investment.

Standard Chartered, the biggest foreign player in India, said in October it remained watchful on the country after the slowest growth since the 1980s hit many of its corporate clients.

But Japanese lenders including Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) and Mizuho Financial Group Inc plan to grow their loan books through branch openings and offerings of new services such as corporate deposits, M&A financing and debt capital market advisory, bank executives said.

They see an opportunity to expand in a sector dominated by inefficient state-owned banks and where foreign lenders control only 6 percent of total banking assets. By contrast, foreign banks control nearly a third of banking assets in Indonesia and more than a fifth in Brazil.

With Japan setting a target of doubling investments in India within five years and New Delhi scrambling to attract long-term investment to shore up its creaky infrastructure, Japanese banks are trying to move quickly.

"Our balance sheet is strong. We can absorb our lending exposure to our Indian clients... better than European, American banks," Mizuho Bank India CEO Shinichiro Kashiwagi said.

India is the key focus market for Mizuho Bank in Asia, besides Japan, China, South Korea and Taiwan, he told Reuters.

In a sign India is willing to boost business and political ties with Japan, Modi visited Tokyo in his first major foreign visit after a landslide electoral victory in May.

Mizuho, which received approval for its fifth Indian branch in Gujarat state days before Modi's Tokyo visit, is hiring and will move its local headquarters in Mumbai to a bigger premises.

Mizuho also plans to offer debt capital market services and to help Indian companies launch 'Samurai bonds' denominated in yen in Japan, Kashiwagi said.

These bonds could be a cheap borrowing option for Indian companies. But Japanese buyers may be reluctant to buy paper issued by Indian companies, few of which are credit-worthy {BS, this is motivated reporting}.

Furthermore, winning business in a market where foreign banks' operations are tightly regulated could prove an uphill struggle, financial services consultants say.

Other risks include bad debts, a factor likely to keep Japanese banks focused on big companies, rather than smaller or medium-sized ones. A tenth of India's total loans is considered non-performing or has been restructured.

Buoyed by Modi's commitment to get rid of frequent power blackouts and bumpy roads, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, seeks to tap more project finance business, said Daisuke Inoue, a senior executive at the lender's international banking unit.

Rival MUFG, with a 22 percent stake in Morgan Stanley , plans to work closely with the US bank to help finance an expected wave of foreign acquisitions by Indian firms.

MUFG's ranking in the Thomson Reuters table of top arrangers of Indian syndicated loans has jumped to fifth this year - ahead of Deutsche Bank, Standard Chartered, Citigroup and RBS - from 13th last year.

MUFG, whose loan book in India stands at about $8 billion, might also consider buying a local Indian bank, Hisai said.

"The Japanese government is actively supporting and promoting investments in India," said Hisai.

"I feel the momentum and I think it's a good momentum."

rajrang · Post by **rajrang** » 25 Dec 2014 23:32

A very strange article and that too from Nikkei Asian Review:

http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy ... sion-alive

Does this signal a shift in Japanese thinking? Is Nikkei influenced by the Japanese Government?

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 26 Dec 2014 04:36

Just effusive homoerotic prose by an admiring Abdul. Perhaps editor-san has a crush as well.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 26 Dec 2014 08:01

Bringing Tokyo closer to New Delhi - Rohan Mukherjee & Antony Yazaki, The Hindu

When Rabindranath Tagore visited Japan in 1916, he concluded that “the welcome which flowed towards me, with such outburst of sincerity, was owing to the fact that Japan felt the nearness of India to herself.” Almost a 100 years later, Narendra Modi echoed this sentiment during his first official visit as Prime Minister to Tokyo in September 2014: “I am …touched by the warmth and enthusiasm that I have experienced in meeting a wide cross-section of people here,” he said. “I am excited about the boundless possibilities for our cooperation.”

As two of the world’s largest economies and democracies with common and complementary interests and no historical disputes, the possibilities for cooperation between India and Japan are indeed boundless. Yet, despite lofty rhetoric and past commitments in this vein, bilateral relations have remained underdeveloped. Given the growing political momentum in the relationship, thanks in part to the personal friendship between Prime Ministers Modi and Shinzo Abe, the time is ripe for converting words into action and charting a substantive agenda for progress on a variety of fronts including economics, security, energy and climate change, and global governance.

The opportunities are clear, but bear repeating. On the economic front, Japan boasts a capital-rich economy with an ageing population that is likely to prolong an already decades-long economic malaise. Meanwhile, India’s economy remains in need of foreign investment while its population is likely to have a glut of working-age youth in the coming years. Although Japan has pledged to invest $35 billion in India over the next five years, and is the largest provider of official development assistance to India, there is still space to expand the economic relationship.

Security front

On the security front, both countries face the challenge of maintaining (or in the case of Japan, re-establishing) positive relations with China while also having to hedge against its growing assertiveness, particularly on territorial matters. To this end, Japan and India have held naval exercises in the Indian Ocean to enhance their maritime interoperability, and both countries maintain a strategic dialogue on existing and emerging challenges in the Asia Pacific. Even though the India-Japan strategic relationship was first called a Global Partnership in 2000 before it was upgraded to a Strategic and Global Partnership in 2006 and finally a Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014, the relationship has remained more symbolic than substantive.

Energy security is another area of common interest. Japan’s reliance on energy imports has increased sharply since the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi incident — domestically generated nuclear power has gone from providing 26 per cent of Japan’s energy needs to zero as all nuclear plants remain closed. Japan also has much to share with India in terms of clean energy technologies and globally recognised benchmarks on energy efficiency standards. On issues of global governance, Japan and India both desire the reform of international institutions, particularly the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which is currently dominated by its permanent members. In the area of international development, as India transitions from being a net recipient of foreign aid to a net provider, there are significant opportunities to learn from Japan’s decades-long experience of delivering economic assistance in Asia and Africa.

Compared to the opportunities inherent in contemporary India-Japan relations, the challenges to deeper bilateral cooperation are less talked about. It is worth examining why, for example, despite strong economic complementarities, trade between the two countries has remained underwhelming (India’s share of Japan’s trade lags far behind much of Asia), or why security cooperation has not extended beyond naval exercises despite growing concerns about China’s assertiveness. Similarly, despite intensive lobbying by both countries separately and as part of the G-4 group in the United Nations, UNSC reform remains as elusive as it has ever been.

Overcoming obstacles

The India-Japan relationship does not suffer from a want of imagination. Rather, the obstacles on both sides can be grouped into three relatively mundane categories: bureaucratic, cultural, and strategic. Bureaucratic complexity is the most commonly cited problem, not just by Tokyo but also by Delhi. Despite strong political will on both sides, the slow-moving machineries of the two states have yet to become intimately acquainted. For example, Japanese economic officials, who are keen to begin a programme of transferring clean technologies to India in exchange for carbon credits, remain unsure of which Indian agency — between the ministries of external affairs, environment, coal, and renewable energy — might have the most authority on this file.

Cultural factors coupled with poor communication have also been a major impediment. India’s efforts at securing the supply of Japan’s world class US-2 amphibious aircraft and at concluding a civilian nuclear deal, similar to those with the United States and Russia, have yielded limited results due to Japan’s unique legal and normative approaches to militarism and the use of force since World War II. Similarly, Japanese companies struggle to decipher and navigate India’s business culture and regulatory environment, a skill that their Korean counterparts have mastered over the last two decades. Finally, more commonplace reasons of strategy also keep India and Japan from deeper cooperation. Both countries have an interest in countering China’s rise without provoking conflict or any form of escalation. Consequently, neither is willing to commit to the types of security cooperation that one might find in other strategic relationships like the U.S.-Japan alliance. For its part, Beijing keeps a close eye on evolving India-Japan ties and aims in the long term to prevent an excessively warm embrace between two of its rivals.

Taking all of these factors into consideration, in order to convert their statements and declarations into action, India and Japan need to reorient and streamline their bureaucratic engagements (the new Japan cell in the Indian Prime Minister’s office is a welcome step), develop creative second-best strategies that account for cultural differences and blind spots, and devise ways in which they might grow the relationship while maintaining steady engagement with Beijing. Numerous initiatives to move the bilateral relationship forward are on the docket, but their implementation will require real effort and will depend on more than the goodwill between the two Prime Ministers.

(Rohan Mukherjee is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Politics at Princeton University and Anthony Yazaki is a Research Fellow at the United Nations University in Tokyo.)

The lack of forward movement, even after many years, on the ShinMayWa US-2 amphibious planes is disappointing. One only keeps costly ads by ShinMayWa in magazines such as Vayu but there is zilch movement otherwise. This glacial speed of business is not commensurate with the movement on the political front. Japan has already supplied ships to the Philippines Coast Guard, for example and is contemplating sale of Soryu-class submarines to Australia.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Dec 2014 14:25

Japanese experts to visit northeastern states for infrastructure project - Economic Times

A team of Japanese experts will visit India's northeastern states in next three weeks to study the details for the survey for infrastructure development projects in the area, a top official here has said.

The project is expected to start before the end of next year and will enhance connectivity and development in northeastern states, described by China as India's "most neglected region".

"The preparatory survey has already commenced for the infrastructure development project which will include reconstruction of roads and old bridges," said Sinya Ejima, chief representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which provides technical cooperation and other forms of aid promoting economic and social development in India.

"Our team of experts will visit the states barring Arunachal Pradesh in third week of January to do a detailed study and the work is expected to start by end of the next year," Ejima said.

During a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in September when Modi travelled to Japan, the two leaders placed special emphasis on Japan's cooperation for enhanced connectivity and development in Northeast India and linking the region to other economic corridors in India and to Southeast Asia, which would catalyse economic development and increase prosperity in the region.

Earlier this year, ahead of general election in India, China's state-run Xinhua news agency had said "India's northeastern states -- which also include Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Nagaland are said to be the country's most neglected region.

Under the agreed project, Japan with an estimated USD 100 million aid will reconstruct roads and improve other infrastructure in these states.

Apart from infrastructure development in North Eastern states, JICA is also actively assisting Delhi Metro project, which is in its third phase. JICA is also providing assistance to Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) and the Chennai- Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC) in South India, as well an assistance to strengthen Japan-India academic-industry networks, and human resources development for industries such as manufacturing.

The Japanese Agency is also associated with various projects relating to sewerage and water supply in India with a total loan commitment of Rs 28,660 crore in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Goa.

Ejima informed that current commitment of JICA's assistance in urban sector including water and transport is of the order of Rs 2,40,000 crore.

member_19686 · Post by **member_19686** » 31 Dec 2014 19:41

Interesting anecdote of the naming of Bagha Jatin's grandson:

Dr. Prithwindranath Mukherjee, Togo’s elder brother, writes about his name: “Admiral Togo Heihachiro (1848-1934) was known all over the world as “Nelson of the East”. He was especially appreciated for his leadership in the Russo-Japanese war (1904-05): Indian nationalists looked up on him as the Asian Hero who proved his superiority by defeating a European power. Okakura had come to Kolkata in 1902 with the message of a Pan-Asiatic unity; Nivedita introduced him to the founders of the Anushilan Samiti; he was received with due enthusiasm by Indian nationalists. Japan occupied a privileged place in their heart. Three years after the Admiral’s death, my brother Togo was born in 1937; he looked like a Japanese baby. Out of love for Japan, Swami Satyananda (Bhavabhushan Mitra, a disciple of my grandfather) proposed to name him Togo. My grandmother was still alive and she willingly accepted it. In the Ashram school, though he was enrolled as Dhritindra, the Mother—fond of Japan, too—preferred to call him Togo.”

https://overmanfoundation.wordpress.com ... mukherjee/

member_19686 · Post by **member_19686** » 06 Jan 2015 02:25

Five Muslim Men Arrested in the Horrific 4-Week Long Repeated Gang-Raping of a Young Japanese Female Tourist in India

http://shariaunveiled.wordpress.com/201 ... -in-india/

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 10 Jan 2015 14:50

Kishida to visit India, Europe, eyes talks on terrorism in France - Japan Times

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday he plans to discuss the fight against terrorism with his French counterpart Laurent Fabius in Paris as part of a weeklong trip to India, France, Belgium and Britain starting next week.

Condemning the incident in Paris, he said: “We must never tolerate vicious terrorism and challenges against the freedom of speech and the press.

“Sharing this view with the international community, we must face up to the fight against terrorism.”

Referring to the purpose of the four-nation tour starting Thursday, Kishida said, “I would like to take this opportunity to send a message to the world as to how our country will contribute to the stability and prosperity of the international community and the region, and how we will try to address global challenges” in partnership with the four countries plus the European Union.

The minister said such proactive diplomacy is important, especially with this year marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Kishida said he plans to hold a strategic dialogue with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi, and to hold talks with Federica Mogherini, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, in Brussels.

In London, Kishida is scheduled to attend the first security meeting involving the foreign and defense ministers of Japan and Britain, known as two-plus-two talks.

Speaking at a separate news conference, Nakatani said he will make a three-nation trip to Djibouti, South Sudan and Britain from Jan. 17 to 22.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 12 Jan 2015 05:34

Number of Japanese companies in India grows by 13% - ToI

Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi engages in high level diplomacy on the sidelines of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit to persuade global and Indian business to invest in the country, the number of Japanese companies in India has gone up from 1,072 in 2013 to 1,209 in 2014, a jump of 13%.

The period under review in a study by the Japanese embassy and JETRO straddles both UPA and NDA governments. A bigger jump is seen in the number of Japanese business establishments in India, which have grown from 2,542 to 3,961, a 56% leap during the same period.

On Sunday, Modi met a range of global leaders including top ministers from countries like Israel and Iran. Israel, which has a deep history of cooperation with India in everything from agriculture to defence and homeland security, promised to participate in the Make in India programme. To Iran, the PM re-committed India's intention to build the Chabahar port for enhanced connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

Modi also met a high level Japanese delegation which informed him of the jump in Japanese participation in the Indian economy. "In case where a Japanese company forms a JV with an Indian partner, the newly formed JV will also have the already established direct branch offices of that Indian partner, which will result in the immediate increase of the total number of business establishments. There are several such cases found during the survey, especially in the auto and transport sectors," a Japanese embassy spokesperson said.

Maharashtra has the highest number of Japanese establishments followed by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 16 Jan 2015 14:50

India top investment destination for Japanese firms: Survey - Economic Times

India has emerged as the number one investment destination for Japanese companies with some planning investments of about Rs 75,000 crore cumulatively in the next 2-3 years, says a survey by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).

The poll was conducted in July 2014 and covered 1,000 companies in the Japanese manufacturing sector.

Based on this research, India has been ranked as the top destination for future investments followed by Indonesia and China.

Some Japanese companies are seriously contemplating their future investment plans in India amounting to about Rs 75,000 crore (approx. USD 12 billion) in next 2-3 years, the commerce commerce quoted the survey to say.

"In October 2014, the number of Japanese companies in India had reached 1,209, which is 13 per cent higher over the same period last year with a CAGR of 13.67 per cent (for the last five years (2010 to 2014)," the Ministry statement issued today said.

It said the issues relating to the Sojitz corp have been sorted out.

In June 2013, a consortium of Larsen and Toubro (L&T) and Japan's Sojitz Corp had bagged an order of Rs 6,699.50 crore from the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd.

The contract is to construct 626 km of a double-track corridor from Rewari in Haryana to Iqbalgarh in Gujarat via Rajasthan, across three states. The project is expected to be completed in four years.

"..the issues related to the state government of Rajasthan concerning Sojitz, working for Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), have been resolved," it said.

During the period June to September 2014, FDI inflow from Japan amounted to USD 618 million against USD 273 million for the corresponding period in 2013. FDI inflow of USD 103.14 million took place in October 2014.

The Government has set up Japan Plus, a special management team, to facilitate Japanese investments. The team is actively interacting with Japanese companies and handholding them through various approval processes, as and when required.

One of the mandates of Japan Plus is to help develop Japanese Integrated Industrial Parks. For this, discussions are going on with Japanese companies and the state Governments concerned.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 17 Jan 2015 12:29

Abenomics can give a fillip to Modinomics: Japan foreign minister Fumio Kishida - Indrani Bagchi, Economic Times

Japan's foreign minister Fumio Kishida chose India as his first destination after being reappointed foreign minister. Here he shares Japan's views on bilateral ties.

Q: After the visit by PM Narendra Modi to Japan in September 2014, What would you say are the priority areas to advance the India-Japan relationship, and what has been the progress since?

I consider deepening the Japan-India relationship critically important for the future of the Indo-Pacific region. People to people exchanges between Japan and India have grown, including at summit and ministerial levels. Leading-edge technologies utilizing IT, which is India's forte, will bring the two countries closer. In fact, PM NarendraModi and PM Shinzo Abe frequently exchange messages on Twitter, and I just received an online greeting card from minister (Sushma) Swaraj.

Japan and India share fundamental values and strategic interests and fulfil an important role in promoting peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. We also are a source of significant strength in dealing with common challenges such as UN Security Council reform, nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, peacekeeping and combating terrorism.

Q:Japan is a priority country for the 'Make in India' plan. The PM has set up 'Japan Plus' body to help Japanese companies. Is this working, say in bringing the Shinkansen bullet trains to India?

With the catchphrase "Come, Make in India", the PM's " Modinomics" which place high priority on attracting investment in manufacturing, generates synergies with Abenomics, which advocates the creation of new markets and greater integration with global economy.

I appreciate highly the establishment of Japan Plus, which help Japanese companies coming to India and improve the business environment. According to a survey, India secured the first place as the most promising business destination for the medium-term for Japanese companies. The number of Japanese companies operating in India has been increasing every year and has exceeded 1,200.

Japan believes the Shinkansen will help realize the 'Diamond Quadrilateral' concept advocated by PM Modi. Currently, we are conducting a joint feasibility study on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai route. Introducing Japan's highly safe and reliable high-speed railway technologies in India will make a major contribution to the 'Make in India' policy.

Q:What, in your opinion, are the challenges of 2015? What is the current state of China-Japan relations?

The Pacific and the Indian Oceans are beginning to link together as the oceans of freedom and prosperity. Countries here are achieving remarkable economic development, and the world's centre of gravity is shifting. At the same time, we have seen an increase in new challenges climate change, pandemics and terrorism, even the maintenance of open seas. We have the responsibility and ability to lead the effort in responding to such issues, because our partnership has no third country as a target.

On Japan-China relations, Japan-China leaders met for the first time in two years on the margins of the APEC summit in Beijing. We agreed to improve our ties.

Q:There was disappointment here that India and Japan could not complete the nuclear agreement. What is holding it back?

During last September's summit, we had a candid exchange of views regarding the negotiations on the civil nuclear cooperation agreement. The two Prime Ministers agreed to speed up negotiations on the agreement to conclude it at an early date. I have brought the same message during the strategic dialogue this time {which means there is no progress at all}.

Q:What is the substance of your conversations with SushmaSwaraj?

We will exchange views on securing peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and cooperation on UN Security Council reforms. We also have a political dialogue and security cooperation including joint exercises. We will exchange views on improving the business environment in India, and cooperation in the infrastructure sector. Minister Swaraj and I will also discuss the two governments' efforts for strengthening regional connectivity with state-of-the-art infrastructure for people in Northeast India.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 18 Jan 2015 15:05

Japan, India agree to beef up trilateral alliance with U.S. - Japan Times

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj agreed Saturday to strengthen the trilateral alliance with the United States amid the rise of an increasingly assertive China in Asia, Japanese officials said.

The Japanese and Indian sides agreed to work toward holding a meeting of the three countries’ foreign ministers at an early date, the officials said.

During the meeting, Kishida pointed out that promoting bilateral cooperation between Japan and India will contribute to resolving issues in the world and the region, the Japanese foreign minister told reporters.

Kishida also told Swaraj that the Self-Defense Forces will continue to participate in the joint naval exercises of India and the United States.

On the issue of bilateral relations, Kishida and Swaraj shared the view that the two countries should step up efforts to promote security ties by holding vice ministerial-level talks of foreign and defense ministers at an early date.

The two ministers also exchanged views over potential exports of the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s U.S.-2 amphibious aircraft to India, the officials said.

They also agreed to advance negotiations over a civil nuclear pact and economic cooperation to help build infrastructure in the emerging economy {So, no real progress in either US-2 or nuclear deals}.

Tuvaluan · Post by **Tuvaluan** » 19 Jan 2015 21:39

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/0 ... lls-india/

“It is important to further strengthen our cooperation through defense equipment cooperation including the US-2 amphibian aircraft and Japan’s continued participation” in India-U.S. maritime exercises, he said. “We should even more proactively assume our responsibilities to protect ‘open and stable seas’ under our special partnership.”

Working with Japan and the US is crucial to limit China's naval power projection in the IOR

India is on its own when it comes to developing civilian nuclear tech in the long term -- and that needs fixing its education system to create more creative people and engineers, and move away from the dismal scene it is today.

Bharath.Subramanyam · Post by **Bharath.Subramanyam** » 24 Jan 2015 07:38

Japanese cab driver rescues Tamil actress

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ente ... 869371.cms

Anjena Kirti who is a part of Jumbo 3D, directed by Hari and Hareesh (of Ambuli 3D and Aaaah fame), had quite an experience while shooting for the film in Japan. The air-hostess-turned-actress, we hear, recently lost her way in Japan and was helped by a Tamil-speaking Japanese cab driver.

Talking about the experience, Anjena says, "90% of the film is shot in Japan. We shot in Toyama and Tokyo. The locations were so beautiful and exotic. Once, we had all got some time off and I was shopping in a mall, when I misplaced the address of the hotel I was staying at. I had specifically written it down in Japanese. I was clueless, but one of the Japanese taxi drivers started talking to me in Tamil knowing that I was from India. He said he is a fan of Rajinikanth and knows Tamil."

The crew has shot with Japanese actors too, and the crew in Japan were nothing but supportive. Says Anjena, "Producer Hari is the founder of Tokyo Tamil Sangam. They were very warm with their hospitality. It made us feel home here in Japan."

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 27 Jan 2015 07:59

More Japanese firms prefer India for future expansion - N.Anand, The Hindu

More and more Japanese firms prefer to make future investments in India than China as the latter is becoming less attractive, said Yoshihiro Watanabe, former Senior Managing Director of the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd.

Drawing a comparison between India and China, he said currently India had 1,209 Japanese firms, while it was over 20,000 units in China. Besides, good number of small and medium Japanese firms in China had sales revenue of $1 billion and a sizeable market share.

Majority of Indian firms also had revenue of over $1 billion, but the market share was less.

“When we entered China it had so many trade policies that facilitated exports. Japanese products made in China were sold globally and also in the domestic market. However, China has started losing attractiveness due to rising cost of inflation and lack of human resources. India has abundant pool of human resources and the inflation is reasonable. The foreign exchange ratio of yen versus rupee has remained stable and attractive for us to invest here,” he said.

According to him, Japan imported more products from China and exported less to Japan. However, it was vice versa in the case of India. Therefore, he urged the Japanese firms based in India to go in for value addition and export the products to Japan, Asean, East African and Middle East countries.

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 29 Jan 2015 16:24

About the Soryus

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3744&start=1240#p1671930

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3744&start=1240#p1671960

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 049111.cms

Tuvaluan · Post by **Tuvaluan** » 03 Feb 2015 04:27

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2 ... -risk.html

PM Abe says Japan will fight IS while negotiations to pay ransom to IS were ongoing and IS beheads hostages. Japan needs to change its constitution and start building its army again.

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 03 Feb 2015 16:31

Japan needs to ban ISIS and anyone and everyone supporting ISIS directly or indirectly. But then, post Fukushima nuke disaster, Japan has increased oil/NG/Coal imports substantially.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 06 Feb 2015 09:13

Japan eyes India's e-commerce boom, to take up FDI demand at RCEP meet in Thailand - Dilasha Seth, Economic Times

India's ties with Japan, which have strengthened after Narendra Modi's visit to that country months after taking over as prime minister, may be in for a test— over substantial liberalisation of the ecommerce sector. That, and retail in general, is one of the few segments in which the administration is not too enthusiastic about overseas entry due to domestic political considerations.

But the Shinzo Abe government wants India to open the ecommerce sector to foreign investment, seeking space for the likes of Rakuten, one of Japan's big online retail companies that has plans to become a global player, and Uniqlo, a clothing retailer with a strong global presence both online and offline and looking to expand in the country. Tokyo has not made the demand directly and has instead proposed it as part of talks at the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) grouping.

India does not allow foreign direct investment in the business to consumer (B2C) segment but 100% FDI is allowed at the business to business (B2B) level.

In the paper floated by Japan at the previous round of negotiations in New Delhi, it sought most favoured nation and national treatment to be accorded to the ecommerce sector, which is not in line with the Modi government's current policy.

India wants to politely resist the Japanese pressure. "We don't think we are in a position to take on any commitments right now as far as e-commerce is concerned (but) the Japanese are pushing very hard," said a government official.

An expert-level meeting has been planned on ecommerce in the wake of this.

"They want some commitments on non-discrimination of digital products as far as national treatment is concerned. We need to know what the definition of 'digital products' is," the official said. Japan is pushing for a permanent zero tariff structure for 'electronic transmission' that includes software and books. This is a concern as this segment is yet to take off in India.

The 16-member RCEP will meet in Pattaya, Thailand, on February 9-13 for the seventh round of talks.

The official said Japan hasn't talked about the investment aspect yet but is likely to bring that up in discussions soon.

The Japanese ecommerce market looks saturated and companies are looking to expand their presence overseas.

Uniqlo plans to invest and open close to 100 stores in India. Meanwhile, Japanese telecom company and investor SoftBank has become the largest investor in the Indian ecommerce segment, having bought into companies such as Snapdeal and Olacabs.

Suraj · Post by **Suraj** » 06 Feb 2015 10:46

Tuvaluan wrote:http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2 ... -risk.html

PM Abe says Japan will fight IS while negotiations to pay ransom to IS were ongoing and IS beheads hostages. Japan needs to change its constitution and start building its army again.

This is a very complicated question. Japanese culturally are averse as a society to individuals causing trouble. They see themselves as having achieved a largely harmonious society for themselves, and are not very keen on the boat being rocked by individuals, especially with ties to outside. For example, while the killing of the two hostages received the condemnation it deserved, they also mention that both these people went there against GoJ cautioning them about safety. Even Abe gets similar responses, with people asking why Japan needs to meddle in these far away things with the potential to hurt them. After a tragedy like this, my gut feeling is Japan will turn further inward rather than take on ISIS with greater vigour. There's not a lot of political support for globocop activity, even though there's plenty of support for arming up strong enough to keep PRC at bay.

Suraj · Post by **Suraj** » 19 Feb 2015 23:33

During Abe's visit, it was announced that a Japan cell would be created to enable their companies to quickly negotiate procedural concerns. It is already up and running:
Inside DIPP, Japan Plus gets going on $33.5-bn dream

Every morning, a small group of officials in the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) gets calls, or representations, from three-to-five Japanese companies already operating, or planning to operate, in India. The issues the Japanese firms raise relate to the existing Japanese investment or the ones in pipeline, and what they expect from the Indian government. By afternoon, however, the issues are already flagged with the officials concerned in DIPP or at least set in motion for being taken up with other ministries. This team is called Japan Plus, created in October last year to promote greater Japanese investments in India.

The advantage of sitting right inside the premises of a government department is more than only convenience. “Promotion and troubleshooting are two pillars of the initiative,” said a Japanese official familiar with the working of Japan Plus. Neither is such a cell in existence for any other country in India nor do the Japanese have such a team placed in any government.

DIPP had set up Japan Plus to facilitate and fast-track investment proposals from Japan. It has representatives from the Indian government and METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry), Japan. An outcome of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan last year, the Japan Plus team works on a mandate that runs through the entire spectrum of investment promotion – research, outreach, promotion, facilitation and aftercare. The team initiates, attracts, facilitates, fast-tracks, and handholds Japanese investments across sectors.

Though initially the Japanese side was hoping to have this cell placed in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), eventually, it was placed in DIPP. “The outreach is better but there is a problem of hierarchy. If there are issues that concern other ministries, sitting in DIPP, it cannot be tackled easily since the two departments are on equal footing. Had Japan Plus been in the PMO, the situation would have been different,” said an official working with Japanese companies. One such issue relates to tax in which DIPP has no role, but has to be directed to the Department of Revenue in the finance ministry.

When Japan Plus was created, identifying prospective Japanese companies, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and facilitating their investments in India, were the priorities. The Japanese side is, therefore, focusing on bringing in mid-sized companies into India for servicing requirements of bigger players such as Sansui, Hitachi and Suzuki. “To facilitate such ancillary units, setting up industrial parks is important since these companies have limited resources. Many Japanese companies are, therefore, looking at hiring factory space instead of constructing themselves,” said an official who did want to be quoted.

Interestingly, the Japenese seem to have taken to Modi's vest themselves. Just a matter of time before they wear the kurta too, it seems:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Toshiaki Higashihara, President, Hitachi Limited at a meeting in New Delhi