On 30th August 2014 prime minister Narendra Modi made his maiden visit to Japan. It was a 5 day official tour which concluded on 3rd september 2014. This was his 4th foreign visit after taking office on 26th May this year.The focus areas of this bilateral meeting were defence, trade and economy, science, research and healthcare. In the next paragraph we will see the highlights of Modi’s Japan visit.
Summary of Modi’s visit to Japan
1. Defence
• Regular meetings between the securitiy advisors of the two countries will make the realation stronger.
• Japan will enter into 2 2 talks with India. It will include foreign and defence secretaries of both sides.
• In 1998 Japan had imposed ban on HAL and 6 other companies due to Pokhran test. These political bans by Japan govt on 6 Indian entities including HAL were lifted during this meet.
• Japan will help India in getting full time membership in 4 international export groups. Namely
a.Nuclear Suppliers Group
b.Missile Technology Control Regime
c.Wassenaar Arrangement
d.Australia Group
2. Talks in Economics during Modi’s visit to Japan
•Japan to invest $35bn in India through public and pvt funding over next 5yr.These projects include building of smart cities, cleaning river Ganga, bullet trains etc.
• A new management team named ‘Japan plus team’ has been formed to catalyze Japan’s aforementioned investment of $35 bn in India.
• 50 billion yen loan to IIFCL (India Infrastructure Finance corp. ltd) for Public Private Partnership projects.
• The ‘Japan plus team’ is setup by Dept of industrial policy and promotion.
3. Transport
•Tokyo to provide necessary assistance to introduce Bullet train project in India
• Feasibility test of bullet train track between Ahmedabad-Mumbai
4. Energy
• Coal-fired power project in Meja, UP
• Thermal power plant in Barauni, Bihar.
• Mega Solar Power project in Neemrana, Rajasthan
5. Science and Technology
• Space exploration via Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF)
• Science fellowship program for youths and Joint Ocean study
Fact Files from prime minister’s visit to Japan
• Japan contributes almost 8% of India’s FDI inflows
• Japan to help develop Vanaras into a Smartcity on the pattern of Kyoto city(a pact regarding this was signed in Kyoto)
• Addressing to Japan’s Nikkei Exchange Modi named 3 necessary D’s for businessmen namely Democrcy,Demography and Demand