Assam's Growing Ties with Japan: Investment and Collaboration on the Rise
Strengthening Assam-Japan Relations
CM Sarma with Japanese Ambassador to India Ono Keiichi at his official residence, in Delhi on Monday. (Photo:@JapanAmbIndia/X)
Guwahati, July 7: Despite the cancellation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's visit to Guwahati on July 1, the momentum of collaboration between Assam and Japan continues unabated. Recent high-level meetings indicate that Assam remains a pivotal player in the bilateral relationship.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has reassured that the partnership with Japan is progressing well, having engaged with various Japanese delegations to explore enhanced cooperation in critical sectors.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Sarma met with Teruo Fujita and Tomofumi Koyama from Mitsubishi Chemical Group to discuss potential investments in Assam's semiconductor and chemical engineering industries.
Sarma with Teruo Fujita San and Tomofumi Koyama San of Mitsubishi Chemical Group, in Guwahati, on Tuesday. (Photo:@himantabiswa/X)
"We have committed to maintaining close engagement as we advance these discussions," Sarma shared on social media.
This meeting followed Sarma's brief visit to New Delhi on July 6, where he met with Japanese Ambassador to India, Ono Keiichi, at his residence.
During this visit, the Ambassador hosted Sarma for Cha-no-yu, the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, leading to a fruitful dialogue on new areas of collaboration, including insights from the recently held 16th India-Japan Summit.
This engagement was preceded by a phone call from Ambassador Keiichi to the Chief Minister on June 25.
"I appreciate H.E. Mr. Ono Keiichi, Ambassador of Japan to India, for inviting me to his residence for Cha-no-yu, the traditional Japanese tea ceremony," Sarma noted, emphasizing Assam's dedication to enhancing the strategic partnership between India and Japan.
The ongoing engagement highlights Assam's efforts to attract Japanese investments and technical partnerships in high-tech manufacturing, renewable energy, and human resource development, covering various sectors from industry to infrastructure.
This initiative was further underscored on July 5, when North East Dairy and Foods Ltd, known for its Purabi brand, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Dairy Development Board and Suzuki R&D Centre India to establish a compressed biogas plant in Assam.
The biogas facility aims to foster sustainable development and clean energy in the region, providing an alternative to traditional fossil fuels for vehicles and industrial applications.
Additionally, the state government is supporting Assamese students learning Japanese through its Chief Minister's Foreign Languages Initiative for Global Human Talent program. Sarma announced that eligible students would receive financial aid of up to Rs 1.5 lakh before traveling to Japan, along with expedited access to education loans from banks.
While Assam may not yet welcome a visiting Japanese Prime Minister, with Japan slated to host the next annual summit in 2027, the extensive engagement in investment, clean energy, and education indicates that the state's relationship with Tokyo is strengthening significantly ahead of that future visit.