Japanese delegation arrives in Guwahati on 3-day Assam visit

Guwahati, May 3 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday formally received a Japanese delegation led by Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan, Nukaga Fukushiro.

The high-level 45-member Japanese delegation arrived in Guwahati on a three-day visit to Assam.

The Assam Chief Minister called the visit a huge milestone for deepening ties between Assam and Japan.

Receiving the Speaker and the delegation at his office in Lok Sewa Bhawan on Saturday evening, Chief Minister Sarma said, "I consider it my honour to welcome the Speaker and his delegation to our beautiful state Assam. This visit is a testament to deepening ties between Assam and Japan. This visit will also encourage Japanese companies to look to Assam and other Northeastern states for enhancing the collaboration."

The Chief Minister said that the visit would give a new momentum to Assam's strategic partnership with Japan through collaborative initiatives in the backdrop of Advantage Assam 2.0 investment summit, held in Guwahati in February.

He apprised Nukaga Fukushiro of the business ecosystem in Assam.

Referring to his visit to Japan in February this year prior to the Investment and Infrastructure Summit, CM Sarma conveyed Assam's readiness of starting the Japanese Language and Testing Centre at ASEAN One Technical Centre at Amingaon in Kamrup district.

Thanking the Speaker for the visit to Assam, the Chief Minister said, "This is not just a visit -- it is a symbol of people-to-people connection and future cooperation."

CM Sarma also told that Prime Minister Narendra Modi also exuded his confidence to the Japanese delegation's visit to Assam as he expressed that the visit would help Assam and other northeastern states to take benefits from the burgeoning bilateral relations between India and Japan.

Earlier, Assam Chief Secretary Ravi Kota gave a detailed presentation showcasing the flourishing business landscape of Assam and the potential areas for collaboration.

He also presented Assam's strategic location which is a window to 35 per cent world's population.

The Chief Secretary also highlighted a gamut of opportunities ranging from industries, tourism, skill, employment, mines and minerals, environment and forest, education, Act East Policy, innovation, incubation and startup as well as health and family welfare.

State Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Nandita Gorlosa, Chief Secretary Ravi Kota, Ambassador of Japan to India Keiichi ONO, Principal Secretary to the Assam Chief Minister K.K. Dwivedi, senior officers and a host of dignitaries were present at the event.

Earlier on Saturday, the Japanese delegation was received at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport by Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Nandita Gorlosa and senior officials.

The Japanese delegation is scheduled to hold a meeting with the Assam Chief Minister and participate in an interaction with elected representatives at the Assembly, an official said.

The delegation is scheduled to visit the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati, and the Tata Semiconductor and Testing Facility at Jagiroad on Sunday. They would also visit projects being implemented here with Japanese financial assistance before leaving on Monday.

--IANS

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