Gandhinagar — Japanese Consul General in Mumbai, Yagi Koji, paid a courtesy call on Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar on Tuesday. The discussions centered around enhancing the strong mutual relations and strategic partnership between Japan, India, and Gujarat, a vision credited to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Consul General Yagi Koji highlighted the positive impact of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, which has spurred numerous Japanese industries to consider investments in Gujarat. He noted that Chief Minister Patel's recent visit to Japan further strengthened these ties, leading to significant announcements such as Suzuki Motors’ expansion project in Gujarat during the Vibrant Summit 2024.

A key focus of the meeting was the interest of Japanese semiconductor manufacturing companies in collaborating with Indian firms to establish projects in Gujarat. Chief Minister Patel expressed the state government’s commitment to assisting in the selection and allocation of land for these ventures. He praised Japan's continued participation in the Vibrant Summit’s success and welcomed further collaboration.

The conversation also touched upon potential investments in renewable energy and green ammonia projects. Yagi Koji acknowledged Japan's involvement in infrastructure projects like the Metro Rail and Dedicated Freight Corridor in Gujarat and discussed possibilities for expanding into other areas.

The meeting coincided with the upcoming 50th anniversary of India-Japan friendship. To commemorate this milestone, Japan’s Honorary Consul General in Gujarat, Mukesh Patel, is organizing an event to bolster trade, economic, and cultural relations. In recognition of this relationship, Chief Minister Patel presented Yagi Koji with a handcrafted souvenir from Kutch.

The meeting was attended by several dignitaries, including Advisor to the Chief Minister and Chairman of Metro Rail Corporation S.S. Rathore, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Pankaj Joshi, Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Industries S.J. Haider, Secretary to the Chief Minister Avantika Singh, and other senior officials, along with Honorary Consul General of Japan in Gujarat Mukesh Patel.