India and Japan: News and Discussion

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 04 Nov 2011 08:18

India and Vietnam set to buy Japanese reactors

India and Vietnam set to buy Japanese reactors
BY: RICK WALLACE, TOKYO CORRESPONDENT From: The Australian November 01, 2011 12:00AM

JAPAN has reignited talks with two emerging powers on exporting its nuclear technology, despite the Fukushima crisis that shattered domestic consensus on atomic energy.

Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, in talks with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda in Tokyo, is thought to have vowed not to let the Fukushima crisis deter his country from considering Japanese technology for several planned reactors.

At the weekend, India's External Affairs Minister, S.M. Krishna, told his Japanese counterpart, Koichiro Gemba, negotiations on a nuclear co-operation pact designed to lead to the export of reactor technology to India would resume.

After cautiously testing the waters after the Fukushima meltdown, Japan has resumed its push to make nuclear technology a major export industry.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 04 Nov 2011 08:20

India, Japan Reinforce Economic, Security Ties

Former Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe recently remarked on a visit to New Delhi that “with its plans of having a three-aircraft-carrier navy, India can keep the Asian sea lines stable, and such a step can assure Vietnamese, Americans and South Koreans, if not the Chinese." This ringing endorsement of an Indian role in Asian waters comes at a time when India and Japan are operationalizing the maritime security cooperation agreement they signed in 2008 by regularizing joint anti-piracy patrols, combat exercises and service exchanges. Gone, too, are inhibitions about exercising jointly with the U.S. Navy -- Japan seems set to become a regular participant in the Indo-U.S. Malabar series of war games. As Abe put it, "Let us work even more closely together with the U.S., Australia and other maritime democracies to invest in building a robust, open, liberal and safe and stable East Asia Summit-led Asia."

But the Indo-Japanese security relationship is now moving beyond force synchronization on the seas and war gaming with the U.S. It seems Japan has agreed to shore up India’s dual-purpose technological base. The most visible symbol of this has been Japan’s removal of several key Indian defense research laboratories from its banned entity list. Indian defense research through the years has essentially been constrained by the lack of a mature industrial base. Being able to source components from Japan can go a long way in addressing this problem.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 04 Nov 2011 17:00

India-Japan Air Force exercise next year

chaanakya · Post by **chaanakya** » 07 Nov 2011 11:01

Japan coast guard arrests captain of Chinese fishing boat

TOKYO —

Japan’s coast guard on Sunday arrested the captain of a Chinese fishing boat that allegedly intruded into Japanese territorial waters, a report said.

The 47-year-old captain was arrested on charges of violating fishing laws in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, Jiji Press said, citing the coast guard.

The coast guard’s regional headquarters in the city of Nagasaki said its patrol ship spotted two Chinese fishing boats in waters close to the Goto Islands, off Japan’s southwestern coast, the report said.

After the two vessels rejected its order to stop for on-board inspections, the patrol ship chased one of the two for nearly 4 1/2 hours.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 07 Nov 2011 11:05

Last time, it was rare earths. What would it be this time ?

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 07 Nov 2011 13:05

SSridhar wrote:Last time, it was rare earths. What would it be this time ?

Some how, I have always noted the support and aid that the japanese have given the pakis over these long years while selectively beating India with the nuke proliferation stick.

These are untrustworthy people IMVHO. However much they may bow now and say India san, they once almost invaded us not so long ago.

We should also focus on the godless dollar and get on with business if it benefits us.

Christopher Sidor · Post by **Christopher Sidor** » 07 Nov 2011 13:30

^^^^
No permanent friends in the Foreign policy. We are not white washing the past actions of japan, especially not its double standards as far as the nuclear issue is concerned.

It is just that we take what we want from japan, i.e. finance+hi-tech, and move on. Japan can become a stepping stone for us to enhance our economic strength. Along the way if we can unnecessarily jerk around the chinks, then that is an extra bonus.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 08 Nov 2011 00:38

Japn thought being US poodle and relying on Economic growth would get them the high table. After Cold War ended, they thought they were a shoo in for UNSC seat as a model nation. Unfortunately the "lost decade" of the 90s ended their hopes. Then they were shook up with 1998 tests as they knew that would be better than veto.

So lot of bitterness due to unrealized ambitions and taking it out on India rather than their real opponents.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 08 Nov 2011 00:46

ramana wrote:Japn thought being US poodle and relying on Economic growth would get them the high table. After Cold War ended, they thought they were a shoo in for UNSC seat as a model nation. Unfortunately the "lost decade" of the 90s ended their hopes. Then they were shook up with 1998 tests as they knew that would be better than veto.

So lot of bitterness due to unrealized ambitions and taking it out on India rather than their real opponents.

ramana ji,

We should forget mohandas karamchand in this new age.

They seem to prefer the pakis to us. Just like their masters did.

Sure, they were amazed, dismayed and demoralized when starving, illiterate and poor SDREs entered the nuclear club with a bang. Something these amreki lapdogs never had the guts to do, what with being warm and comfortable under the amreki nuke umbrella and all. Now they look to us to help them out against china?? Hypocrites.

When hypocrites spit on you, spit right back.

Just make sure that you are up wind, is all.

Too bad that it's Indian companies that win the demmings prizes these days.

paramu · Post by **paramu** » 08 Nov 2011 08:19

Arrogance is not a nice trait to have. We just have to continue to follow what is good for us. Japanese are now paying for the arrogance they showed us a while back. As long as we see that the gesture is genuine, we should not have any problem in working with them.

D Roy · Post by **D Roy** » 08 Nov 2011 16:36

The Japanese are in it for real.

They are serious about producing loads of stuff in India. Only India can shore up corporate bottomlines in Japan which will create the tax buoyancy that they need.

Their TRDI i.e equivalent of DRDO is involved in some exquisite research. An example of TRDI's innovativeness

(doesn't qualify as exquisite by any yardstick, but you get my drift)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... F0uLnMoQZA

Co-ordination with them will be of great use to us.

I'll give a specific example - Solid state Laser research worldwide and here in India is crucially dependent on the availability of super-efficient ceramics.

Neither unkil nor oirope have the companies who excel in this area. It is Japan which does. If we are serious about reaching that 100 kw mark ( i.e minimum for military grade) via Solid state or FEL we need Japan.

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 08 Nov 2011 17:27

In the past neither the Japanese could get away from seeing the world through the eyes of USA, nor did we Indians have a good outreach program with the Japanese!

There is no use crying over the lost years!

The important thing to remember is that on a civilizational level both Indians and the Japanese have a big overlap in our national interests and we can complement each other perfectly! That is something to build upon!

Let's look to the future!

chaanakya · Post by **chaanakya** » 08 Nov 2011 19:49

+1

I agree with these words.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 09 Nov 2011 04:39

Agree with the thoughts.

chaanakya · Post by **chaanakya** » 13 Nov 2011 13:12

chaanakya wrote:Japan coast guard arrests captain of Chinese fishing boat
TOKYO —

Japan’s coast guard on Sunday arrested the captain of a Chinese fishing boat that allegedly intruded into Japanese territorial waters, a report said.

The 47-year-old captain was arrested on charges of violating fishing laws in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, Jiji Press said, citing the coast guard.

The coast guard’s regional headquarters in the city of Nagasaki said its patrol ship spotted two Chinese fishing boats in waters close to the Goto Islands, off Japan’s southwestern coast, the report said.

After the two vessels rejected its order to stop for on-board inspections, the patrol ship chased one of the two for nearly 4 1/2 hours.

Update
http://www.japantoday.com/category/poli ... isit-china

The two countries quietly resolved a potential new dispute on Wednesday after Japan freed another Chinese fishing boat captain. The fisherman, who was not arrested near the disputed islands, reportedly paid a fine of about $3,900.

Christopher Sidor · Post by **Christopher Sidor** » 13 Nov 2011 19:43

RajeshA wrote:In the past neither the Japanese could get away from seeing the world through the eyes of USA, nor did we Indians have a good outreach program with the Japanese!

There is no use crying over the lost years!

The important thing to remember is that on a civilizational level both Indians and the Japanese have a big overlap in our national interests and we can complement each other perfectly! That is something to build upon!

Let's look to the future!

Admirably said. I agree with you..

kmkraoind · Post by **kmkraoind** » 17 Nov 2011 11:26

In a first, Japan offers to sell aircraft to India

Sources said the matter was discussed during Defence Minister A K Antony’s visit to Japan last month and Tokyo expressed its keenness to share high-end military technology with India and even explore the possibility of joint development.
.......
Sources said the company has offered an aircraft named ShinMaywa SS 3 I in response to a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the Navy. Responses have also been received from Canada’s Bombardier and Russia’s Beriev company.

From Wiki Chacha on ShinMaywa SS 2

Empty weight: 25,630 kg (56,504 lb)
Loaded weight: 43,000 kg (94,797 lb) (water take-off)
Range: 4,700 km[3] (2,538 nmi, 2,919 mi)

Klaus · Post by **Klaus** » 20 Nov 2011 07:47

A Buddhist temple in western Shiga prefecture informs Japan's largest crime syndicate that it will no longer accept visits from its members.

The temple had continued accepting visits by small groups of family members but came to the latest decision, backed by the increasing trend in Japanese society to reject the influence of the yakuza, the official said.

Enryakuji informed the Yamaguchi-gumi of its decision in late June and received a reply in July that the syndicate accepted it, he said.

The Kobe-based Yamaguchi-gumi is thought to have more than 50,000 members, accounting for more than half of the nation's gangsters.

The yakuza have been closely monitored but largely tolerated by the authorities and operate out of corporate headquarters that are listed in phone books.

Reminded me of Atri's post about rashtriya crime syndicates and their role in blocking out mafia niches to anti-national interests. The rashtra (Japan in this case) is able to exercise plausible deniability over them through its formal institutions, if these networks begin to hit the bottom trough of yields and returns. Overall, a well-oiled system of rewards and punitive actions always acting in rashtriya interests.

There is a lesson for Indics and Indic rashtra in all of this, which needs to be re-learnt.

chaanakya · Post by **chaanakya** » 20 Nov 2011 10:08

Quake hits eastern Japan; nuclear plant stable

National Nov. 20, 2011 - 12:56PM JST ( 0 )

TOKYO —

A 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Japan on Sunday, but a nuclear plant that was crippled by a huge quake and tsunami in March remained stable, officials said.

The quake hit at Ibaraki, 136 kilometers east of Tokyo and just south of Fukushima, at 10:23 a.m. with its depth at 24.7 kilometers, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

A tsunami was not expected, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, while there were no reports of damage.

Nuclear plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said that the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant remained stable.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 19 Dec 2011 07:59

Japan PM's visit to push stalled N-deal talks

India and Japan are set to resume nuclear negotiations next year, with New Delhi hoping that the forthcoming visit of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda this month will give a push to the talks that were stalled after the Fukushima disaster.

Noda touches down here Dec 27 on a three-day visit for annual summit talks {Now institutionalized} with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. This will be Noda's first visit to India since becoming the prime minister of Japan in September this year.

During their talks Dec 28, the two leaders are expected to discuss a wide spectrum of issues, including the prospects of civil nuclear cooperation, jointly combating piracy and terrorism, economic ties, climate change and the evolving East Asia architecture, well-placed sources told IANS.

The two leaders are expected to review the status of civil nuclear negotiations for which three rounds have been held but which came to a halt after the March 11 Fukushima radiation disaster and the political uncertainty that ensued in that country.

India is hoping that talks at the summit level will push the process of concluding a nuclear deal with Japan, a leader in civil nuclear technology that depends on nuclear power for around 40 percent of its energy needs. The successful talks can set the stage for a revival of nuclear negotiations early next year, said the sources.

After the Fukushima disaster, there have been positive developments which have brightened the prospects of revival of nuclear negotiations. Early this year, Japan removed seven Indian entities from its Foreign End User List this year, which included Indian Rare Earths Limited.

During his talks with External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna in Tokyo in October, Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba had conveyed Tokyo's readiness to resume nuclear talks. The two countries "will move forward in talks on the civilian nuclear cooperation pact while paying consideration to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation," Jiji Press quoted Gemba as saying after talks with Krishna.

Early this month, the Japanese parliament Diet approved atomic energy agreements with Jordan, Vietnam, Russia and South Korea, fuelling hopes in India of a likely nuclear deal with Tokyo next year. On Friday, Noda declared the Fukushima site to be stable, indicating Tokyo's readiness to step up nuclear exports.

Nuclear negotiations with India, which has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, have been a sensitive political subject in Japan, the only country that has been targeted by nuclear weapons.

The growing strategic proximity between New Delhi and Tokyo, as evidenced by the India-US-Japan trilateral dialogue which will be held in Washington next week, and the desire of Japan, whose economy is not doing too well, to expand trade and investment with India could also prod Tokyo to step up nuclear negotiations with New Delhi to get a share of the $150 billion nuclear market. A nuclear deal with Japan is necessary for India to implement the India-US nuclear deal as leading American nuclear companies like GE and Westinghouse are partly owned by Japanese companies.

The two sides have exchanged draft texts of a bilateral nuclear pact and are making progress on bridging differences, said the sources.

Japan has urged India to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and has made it clear that a nuclear test by India would lead to the termination of civil nuclear cooperation.

Given its history as a nuclear-averse pacifist nation and strong anti-nuclear domestic constituency, Japan is insisting on additional non-proliferation commitments, which are much beyond what India has agreed to in its 123 agreement with the US, said the sources.

However, Indian officials are hoping that a middle ground can be found which could accommodate the concerns and priorities of both sides.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 19 Dec 2011 08:22

SSridhar wrote:Japan PM's visit to push stalled N-deal talks
India and Japan are set to resume nuclear negotiations next year, with New Delhi hoping that the forthcoming visit of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda this month will give a push to the talks that were stalled after the Fukushima disaster.

Noda touches down here Dec 27 on a three-day visit for annual summit talks {Now institutionalized} with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. This will be Noda's first visit to India since becoming the prime minister of Japan in September this year.

During their talks Dec 28, the two leaders are expected to discuss a wide spectrum of issues, including the prospects of civil nuclear cooperation, jointly combating piracy and terrorism, economic ties, climate change and the evolving East Asia architecture, well-placed sources told IANS.

The two leaders are expected to review the status of civil nuclear negotiations for which three rounds have been held but which came to a halt after the March 11 Fukushima radiation disaster and the political uncertainty that ensued in that country.

India is hoping that talks at the summit level will push the process of concluding a nuclear deal with Japan, a leader in civil nuclear technology that depends on nuclear power for around 40 percent of its energy needs. The successful talks can set the stage for a revival of nuclear negotiations early next year, said the sources.

After the Fukushima disaster, there have been positive developments which have brightened the prospects of revival of nuclear negotiations. Early this year, Japan removed seven Indian entities from its Foreign End User List this year, which included Indian Rare Earths Limited.

During his talks with External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna in Tokyo in October, Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba had conveyed Tokyo's readiness to resume nuclear talks. The two countries "will move forward in talks on the civilian nuclear cooperation pact while paying consideration to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation," Jiji Press quoted Gemba as saying after talks with Krishna.

Early this month, the Japanese parliament Diet approved atomic energy agreements with Jordan, Vietnam, Russia and South Korea, fuelling hopes in India of a likely nuclear deal with Tokyo next year. On Friday, Noda declared the Fukushima site to be stable, indicating Tokyo's readiness to step up nuclear exports.

Nuclear negotiations with India, which has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, have been a sensitive political subject in Japan, the only country that has been targeted by nuclear weapons.

The growing strategic proximity between New Delhi and Tokyo, as evidenced by the India-US-Japan trilateral dialogue which will be held in Washington next week, and the desire of Japan, whose economy is not doing too well, to expand trade and investment with India could also prod Tokyo to step up nuclear negotiations with New Delhi to get a share of the $150 billion nuclear market. A nuclear deal with Japan is necessary for India to implement the India-US nuclear deal as leading American nuclear companies like GE and Westinghouse are partly owned by Japanese companies.

The two sides have exchanged draft texts of a bilateral nuclear pact and are making progress on bridging differences, said the sources.

Japan has urged India to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and has made it clear that a nuclear test by India would lead to the termination of civil nuclear cooperation.

Given its history as a nuclear-averse pacifist nation and strong anti-nuclear domestic constituency, Japan is insisting on additional non-proliferation commitments, which are much beyond what India has agreed to in its 123 agreement with the US, said the sources.

However, Indian officials are hoping that a middle ground can be found which could accommodate the concerns and priorities of both sides.

Given their china situation, the japanese are rumored to be, just like israel, only a few screw driver turns away from weaponisation.

They already have proven technology for delivery systems, again just like israel.

These guys are hypocrites. One rule for us and another rule for themselves onlee. Funnily enough they don't seem to preach much to the pakis, their all time favorites.

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 19 Dec 2011 08:27

For many reasons, not the least of which is that no conceivable Pakistan can ever dominate Asia (and Japan), economically, politically, socially, technologically and in soft power. India will inevitably (in spite of Indians).

amdavadi · Post by **amdavadi** » 19 Dec 2011 08:42

Dont know where else to post it...Kim Jong dead

rajsunder · Post by **rajsunder** » 19 Dec 2011 10:38

amdavadi wrote:Dont know where else to post it...Kim Jong dead

http://news.yahoo.com/north-korea-says- ... 34452.html

Klaus · Post by **Klaus** » 19 Dec 2011 11:16

amdavadi wrote:Dont know where else to post it...Kim Jong dead

East Asia thread is more appropriate: http://forums.bharat-rakshak.com/viewto ... f=1&t=3652

Anyway, Philip saar has created a new thread.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 25 Dec 2011 09:58

India, Japan to firm up strategic ties next week - The Hindu

India and Japan will firm up strategic ties during their summit meeting next week with a $4.5-billion grant for an ambitious infrastructure project, announcing Tokyo's participation in next year's India-U.S. naval exercises and holding talks on moving ahead with India-Japan-U.S. trilateral cooperation.

Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Yushihiko Noda will review the first-ever India-Japan-U.S. trilateral which drew up an agenda “aimed at adding value to the existing bilateral relationships” for the next meeting in Tokyo next year, said government sources.

This strategic proximity will be reflected in Japan's participation in the next India-U.S. Malabar series of joint naval exercises off the Indian coast in April next year. Japan had participated in the 2007 and 2009 editions of Malabar exercises but could not do so this year because of the tsunami.

Talks will also be held on a bilateral civil nuclear cooperation accord[/b][/b]. Although Japan will shortly sign similar pacts with Russia, Jordan, Vietnam and South Korea, prospects of an accord with India, a non Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) signatory, sailing through the Japanese Diet are dim.

South Block feels there would be no problem in Japanese companies supplying components to French and U.S. civil nuclear companies despite the absence of an India-Japan civil nuclear agreement. “Our understanding is that an agreement is required for a comprehensive partnership. But individual items can be sold by Japanese companies [which have a near monopoly on reactor vessels and its parts] to companies such as Areva under a licence from the government,” said sources.

Rare earths

Discussion on rare earths will be held for the second summit meeting in a row. The decks have been cleared with the removal of Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) from the Japanese End Users List in August this year. The Prime Ministers are likely to discuss this sensitive subject that entails a joint venture between IREL and Toyota Tsusho for a plant in Orissa. India stopped exporting rare earths seven years ago to stop depletion of mineral resources at a time when international prices were weak.

The summit meeting will give an impetus to the infrastructure sector with Mr. Noda likely to announce long-term Japanese financing for the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). Delhi has already set aside Rs. 17,500 crore for the project in addition to Rs. 5,500 crore for land acquisition.

India and Japan have already decided to complete the Delhi Freight Corridor (West), the main transportation artery along the DMIC, by the end of 2016.

At a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday, the country's top industrialists had highlighted this problem of infrastructure bottlenecks which Japan has agreed to address. The Japanese financing commitment will come on top of the Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), which at one stage was to be slashed due to Japan's focus on reconstruction after the tsunami and the nuclear reactor meltdown. While Japan reduced the ODA for several other countries, it took a strategic decision of pegging India's ODA at previous year's level, said officials.

The number of Japanese companies operating in India has risen from 725 last year to 850, a fraction of 10,000 Japanese companies operating in China. But South Block is satisfied with this steady progress {That is the mentality of the Hindu rate of growth. Our officials should NOT be satisfied with this. They should strike the hammer when the iron is hot now} and hopes governmental support from both sides would encourage more Japanese companies to look at India for long-term investment.

The India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement went into effect from August 1 this year and officials say it is too early to analyse the trends.

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 25 Dec 2011 14:52

SSridhar wrote:India, Japan to firm up strategic ties next week - The Hindu
The number of Japanese companies operating in India has risen from 725 last year to 850, a fraction of 10,000 Japanese companies operating in China. But South Block is satisfied with this steady progress {That is the mentality of the Hindu rate of growth. Our officials should NOT be satisfied with this.

SSridhar garu, Sorry for the OT but if knowledgable people like you also start using Communist propoganda phrases like 'Hindu rate of growth', then what can we say about aam admi who does not know the fact that the commie economist Raj Krishna used that phrase to deflect attention from the socialist economic polices and license raj system (which stagnated the Indian economy until 80s) and blame the economic failures on ordinary Hindu masses who had no say on the policies. Why not call Gujarat and Karnataka's 10% plus growth rates as 'Hindu rate of growth' ?After all, as per the communists and their Aroy and NRam spokepersons, those two states are "Hindutva Laboratories". Why do we always associate negative attributes and NOT positive attributes to Hindu/Indian ?

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 26 Dec 2011 03:21

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2011/12/ ... anmar.html
Japan to Ask Myanmar to Join Bilateral Pact: Kyodo

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's foreign minister will suggest that Myanmar enter negotiations on a bilateral investment accord when he holds talks with the country's top officials next week, Kyodo News reported Sunday. The talks would mark another step as Myanmar gradually reconnects with the rest of the world after decades of tight military rule. A series of reforms have been initiated by President Thein Sein aimed at pushing for the lifting of decades of Western sanctions and attracting much-needed foreign investment in the country formerly known as Burma. Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba is traveling to Myanmar Sunday to meet his counterpart, Wunna Maung Lwin, as well as the president next week. In Naypyitaw, Gemba will discuss the investment accord, which would promote cross-border investment and allow trade disputes to be settled under international frameworks, Kyodo said, citing a government source. Gemba will also meet pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and will likely invite her to visit Japan in the near future, Kyodo said. Gemba's visit is the first by a Japanese foreign minister in nine years

nithish · Post by **nithish** » 28 Dec 2011 00:11

Japanese PM is visiting

Japanese Prime Minister arrives in India to expand ties

The Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihiko Noda, arrived here on a two-day state visit today to attend the sixth annual India-Japan summit.

Noda was greeted by Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur and Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai on his arrival here.
A ceremonial reception will be held the Rashtrapati Bhawan at around 10 a.m. on Wednesday in honour of the visiting dignitary.

Thereafter, the Japanese Prime Minister will lay a wreath at Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Rajghat at around 10: 30 a.m.

External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna will call on the Japanese Prime Minister at Hotel Taj Palace at around 11: 05 a.m.

Yoshihiko Noda will later address a gathering on "India-Japan Strategic and Global Partnership on the Sixtieth Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations". The event will be held at the Durbar Hall in Hotel Taj Palace at 12 p.m.

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) will host a business luncheon meeting in honour of the visiting Prime Minister at the Hotel Taj Palace here at around 1: 30 p.m.

Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj will then call on the Japanese Prime Minister at the Hotel Taj Palace here at around 3: 15 p.m.

Thereafter, the visiting Prime Minister will call on Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari at 6, Maulana Azad Road here at 4 p.m.

This would be followed by a delegation-level talks between the two nations during which the signing of joint statement between the two nations will take place. The event will be held at the Hyderabad House at around 5: 45 p.m. (ANI)

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Dec 2011 09:04

nithish wrote:Japanese PM is visiting

He is coming straight from China.

uddu · Post by **uddu** » 28 Dec 2011 09:20

So China, India, equal equal onlee.
(I think you forgot the times when Khan and his Chamchas will land first at the Jihad factory and then visit India to remind the Indians about equality)
For Japan, it's saying India is equally important to them just like the Chinese or China and India are the same level when relationship is discussed. This may not be the view from India. We'll be valuing this relationship as something that's of great importance and something that can be taken upto the level far higher than that of India-Russia relationship. Here with Japan there are no constraints. There is no delays with defense equipment etc. So surely this can be a very strong relationship.
With regard to the relationship, I'm against putting any equal equal with anyone. Japan can have a very solid relationship with India. Japan must avoid interlinking any other country in this special relationship. Be it the U.S or the Chinese. It's totally unwanted. They must focus on strengthening the India-Japan relationship and make it the best in the world. Is it possible? Very much. India is very much ready for such a special relationship. The other aspects like trilateral meets etc is possible, but that must be at a lower level and that must not hinder India-Japan relationship in any manner. Both must run parallel at different levels.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Dec 2011 14:01

uddu wrote:So China, India, equal equal onlee.
(I think you forgot the times when Khan and his Chamchas will land first at the Jihad factory and then visit India to remind the Indians about equality)
For Japan, it's saying India is equally important to them just like the Chinese or China and India are the same level when relationship is discussed. This may not be the view from India. We'll be valuing this relationship as something that's of great importance and something that can be taken upto the level far higher than that of India-Russia relationship. Here with Japan there are no constraints. There is no delays with defense equipment etc. So surely this can be a very strong relationship.
With regard to the relationship, I'm against putting any equal equal with anyone. Japan can have a very solid relationship with India. Japan must avoid interlinking any other country in this special relationship. Be it the U.S or the Chinese. It's totally unwanted. They must focus on strengthening the India-Japan relationship and make it the best in the world. Is it possible? Very much. India is very much ready for such a special relationship. The other aspects like trilateral meets etc is possible, but that must be at a lower level and that must not hinder India-Japan relationship in any manner. Both must run parallel at different levels.

Uddu, I simply stated a fact and you (mis)interpreted as equal-equal. Normally such state visits convey a meaning, certain importance. In fact, I prefer Noda's stop over in Delhi after Beijing because he can be expected to brief us on what happened there. After the recent East Asia Summit where China was forced to backtrack on the issue of South China Sea, this is the first time an important Asian leader is meeting Wen Jiabao. Noda’s assessment of the the talks between him and the Chinese leader may be useful to us. Anyway, does it mean equal-equal or preference of one over the other ? I don't know

Your sentiments are understandable, but they need to be tempered with some realism. Today there are over 10000 Japanese companies operating in China compared to a meagre 800-odd in India. Their bilateral trade exceeds USD 350 Billion and in spite of strain in their diplomatic relationship, is growing at more than 20% annually. India-Japan trade is around USD 12 Billion annually. Unlike with India, the China-Japan trade is almost equally split between the two of them, though skewed in favour of China. They have just agreed to further strengthen their economic interaction and even use renminbi and yen rather then the USD for bilateral trade. Japan is proposing to invest in Chinese government bonds. Japan is also fearful of unstable conditions in nuclear North Korea. So, their engagement is at a different level.

At the same time, the Japanese are realizing that they are under a threat from a not too peacefully rising China. There are historical animosities too between the two of them. The dynamic with India is vastly different for the Japanese. Though India and Japan have a convergence of opinion on most international issues, for various reasons our relationship has been cold since Independence. The Japanese certainly do not want to give an impression to the Chinese that they are ganging up against them. India, too, has been careful that its growing relationship with Japan is not misinterpreted by the Chinese as directed against it. At the same time, India has been assertive like it never has been before as far as China goes.

The Japanese have been very slow in grasping Indian hands even after the US decided to 'normalize' its relationship with us in the 90s. That is the way the Japanese operate, perhaps, slowly and contempalting long and hard before changing directions. However, the defence and economic relationships are reaching a much higher pace now. IMO, the capturing of the hijacked Japanese vessel MV Allondra Rainbow by the IN & ICG ships laid the foundation for closer cooperation between the JMSDF and the Indian maritime forces. The National Defence Programme Guidelines of Japan released in 2011, bring India into sharp defence focus. On the economic front too, India & Japan entered into a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CEPA) in February 2011 followed by India stepping in to export rare earth minerals to Japan after China unilaterally banned such exports after the incident involving Japanese Navy and Chinese fishermen last year. In 2011, Japan removed seven Indian entities from its Foreign End User List and Indian Rare Earths company was one of them. During defence minister A.K.Antony’s visit to Japan last month, the two navies decided to expand their joint drills to unprecedented levels. After their recent tsunami disaster, India was the only country to which Japan's ODA was not slashed. All in all, there is a great upswing in the relationship.

India must do everything to maintain this momentum and increase it even further. However, I am distressed by a few things, typically Indian. For example, the Japanese who are expanding their base big time in Chennai, recently complained to the PMO of poor port access to Chennai and Ennore ports as well as poor port infrsatructure. The PMO quickly sent a top official to do an on-the-spot investigation. The Port authorities, trying to impress the PMO so that they are not blamed, took him by the sea between the two ports so that he didn't get to see the horrible condition of the highway. They would have given him a powerpoint presentation of how within a few months things would improve. Another report I posted above says that the bureaucrats were satisfied with the rate of growth Japanese investments. The Japanese City that was being built along the OMR at Chennai is not making quick progress.

We may not prefer an equal-equal relationship. We may want our relationship with any other country to be independent of a third country. How can we enforce that on our partner nation if they choose not to de-hyphenate ? I am not saying that Japan is doing so. Even today, we are not sure if the US has de-hyphenated, as it claims, its relationship with us from Pakistan's.

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 28 Dec 2011 19:27

The best way to attract Japanese business to setup shop in India in larger numbers, make more visits, etc., is very simple..give work visas to a large number of Chinese / Thai hookers, dancers etc., and also allow them to setup food joints, bars, etc., around cities where Japs are in large numbers. The Japs are not interested in Indian food or women. Once this is done, you will see they come in droves. Bangkok, even Taipei has entire streets unofficially declared Jap territory where they can do what they want, where some joints dont even allow locals to step in. We need not go that far..

Also we need to make babus understand that harassing any Jap without valid reason and without clearance from top most levels is an offense that will lead to seizure of their entire corruption earnings and benami holdings, loss of pension and punishment posting.

I am being serious here...so dont take it as a joke, nor is it an insult to the Japs. It is just that we have to be practical and sensible. They have their priorities, we just try to meet them.

Otherwise, entirely agree with SS post above..

harbans · Post by **harbans** » 28 Dec 2011 20:30

Suppiah ji you are right. In Japan business deals don't happen over Golf. They happen in the 3000 Dollar entry night clubs in Tokyo districts..that's also pretty normal for East Asia. Japanese require to be comforted a bit in their surroundings or at the minimum to feel comfortable. They do like women and good life along with dedicated hard work. I deal with Japanese all the time. They have no problem with Indian women as such and i've seen many go out with them. But Indian women are possibly not as demure in their upbringing as East Asian women. A westerner too recently remarked something in similar vein..Indian women being more upfront in attitude than normal Western women..which i guess is true in the Delhi region. BTW don't think Japs don't like Indian food..you'd really be surprised.

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 28 Dec 2011 20:48

^^ I can imagine, the average Jat/Punjabi woman would be a foot taller than her Jap guest..

that's why imports are essential..BTW, the Jap version of curry is a diluted one, that bears no resemblance to the real one..other than some vague smell of turmeric.

Klaus · Post by **Klaus** » 29 Dec 2011 02:36

India & Japan sign a $15 billion currency swap deal.

The currency swap, under which Japan could lend India dollars to defend the ailing rupee, is an expansion of a $US3 billion accord that expired earlier this year.

"Japan and India will expand their currency swap from a current $US3 billion to $US15 billion ($A14.8 billion)," Noda told a news conference in the Indian capital late Wednesday at the close of his 36-hour trip.

Japan, which has $US1.2 trillion in foreign currency reserves, has been moving to enhance its global financial role, and struck a similar swap accord with South Korea in October.

The currency agreement is an extra weapon for India, which has $US300 billion in reserves, to use in propping up the rupee.

The rupee has slid 15 per cent this year against the US dollar as overseas investors have withdrawn funds as they hunt for safe havens in the midst of global financial turmoil.

But Japanese government spokesman Nori Shikata told reporters that "as a matter of basic policy we're interested in promoting use of Japanese civilian nuclear technology in India".

Noda said use of civilian nuclear technology could help India lower carbon emissions blamed for global warming but added he could not say when the talks might produce an agreement.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 29 Dec 2011 08:11

culturally japan has not done enough in India to increase its mental footprint. neither have the koreans. indians have a vague impression about both being 'high tech manufacturing giants' and some exposure to cartoons like ninja hattori and doraemon.
they need to increase outbound tourism from india and ease visa norms. they need to encourage indian students to go and study there. japanese and korean food is rarely available in india, even in 5* hotels. the number of 5* chinese/thai places outnumber japan/ko by 50:1 and in standalone places by 500:1 , their cos need to become less insular and more open to accepting outsiders into top levels

due to Unkil's massive cultural, educational and economic footprint here, the also-rans of the anglosphere like canada, UK and Australia bask in the reflected glory and get a free ride .... none of these three look like they could be as a beneficial to india as japan and soko in this century - other than being a source of raw materials and free lectures of sikularism and HR.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 29 Dec 2011 11:35

Japan keen on civil nuclear collaboration with India: Noda

Allaying apprehensions regarding nuclear cooperation in the wake of the Fukushima accident, Japan on Wednesday expressed keenness to expand ties in the sector after taking into consideration the safety aspects.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 29 Dec 2011 12:50

While the Indian Railways is having 'intense discussions' with Japan for introducing high-speed trains, GoI is planning investments from Japan in manufacturing sector.

The Indian government is counting on aggressive investments from Japan to fund the proposed National Manufacturing Zones (NIMZs) in the country.

Under the new manufacturing policy, the government proposed to set up NMIZs across the country to ramp up manufacturing output from 16% of GDP at present to 25% of GDP by 2025 and generate at least 100 million additional jobs.

"Given the scale of investment required in these zones, we are seriously contemplating getting Japan on board," said an official in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.

The government is likely to put forward the idea before Japanese prime minister Yoshihiko Noda who is on a visit to India

"The projects will be bid competitively and we are hoping to see the same level of enthusiasm from the Japanese investors as we saw in case of the industrial corridor," he added on the condition of anonymity.

Japan is already a major development partner in the proposed Delhi Mumbai industrial corridor, contributing $9-billion into the project. It has 26% stake in the special purpose vehicle created to implement the corridor.

Japan is India's largest bilateral donor and its cumulative investments in the country amounted to 3,700 billion yen by June 2011.

At an industry event on Wednesday Prime minister Noda said that Japan is eager to strengthen economic relations with India, signaling the possibility of increased investments.

"I am convinced that we need to strengthen the partnership. India and Japan are stepping up their cooperation in areas like political, security and economic fields and also regional areas," he said.

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 29 Dec 2011 17:12

Singha wrote:culturally japan has not done enough in India to increase its mental footprint. neither have the koreans.

Both are culturally insular and somewhat closed societies. Furthermore, they do sincerely feel they are 'superior' in every respect and economic statistics, at least for now, bear out that claim. They are No.1 and No.2 in Asia, except for city states like HK/Sing and oil rich Brunei. Hence they tend to look down upon any colored nation/person/culture. Japs more so than Koreans..

But they are also seeing the writing on wall that one day Russians (once they get rid of the idiot Putin) will also see clearly - that PRC has launched a massive demographic, economic and strategic assault on Japan and the only way to overcome that is to surrender to PRC or to side with India and the West. Japan (like Russia) faces deep demographic decline that is limiting its power projection as well as laying itself open to demographic assault which is already happening...

The day is not far off when Japan will be like Philipines or Thailand is today...economic testimonials (thanks mulla hakeem

) firmly in the hands of Chinese who can squeeze them anytime for their pleasure or profit.

If I were Japanese PM I would make an estimate of illegal Chinese in Japan and allow that many, if not more, Indians to get in and tell their people to accept and treat them well.

I think smarter Japs are reading it and altering their strategy. They will have to educate the abdul Jap who still wants to grope a oriental PYT as he downs his beer and would not venture too deep into India. Interestingly Jap women are far more backpacking / adventurous type, may be GOI should target them to enhance understanding.