PM Narendra Modi with Japanese author Tomio Mizokami
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met some of the leading Japanese individuals who have been active in promoting Indian culture in Japan on Saturday, saying such interactions help to enhance mutual understanding and strengthen the connection between the two countries.
Following an invitation from his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister Modi is in Hiroshima for three sessions of the G7 Summit.
Modi met Dr. Tomio Mizokami, Professor Emeritus at the Osaka University’s Graduate School of Foreign Studies, a renowned author, linguist, and fluent in Hindi and Punjabi languages.
Mizokami was awarded the Padma Shri in 2018 for his contribution to promoting Indian literature and culture in Japan.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “He presented the widely acclaimed book ‘Jwalamukhi’– an anthology of writings from the 1980s by a cohort of Japanese scholars who laid the foundation of Hindi learning in Japan”.
Modi also met and spoke with Hiroko Takayama, a Western-style painter born in Hiroshima, whose paintings are heavily influenced by her two decades of engagement with India.
The statement further reads, “Takayama has conducted several workshops and held exhibitions in India, and was briefly a Visiting Professor at Visva Bharati University, Shanti Niketan”.
She gifted the Prime Minister with one of her most notable works, a 2022 oil painting of Lord Buddha.
Prime Minister Modi stated that such exchanges promote mutual understanding, respect, and the formation of stronger relationships between our countries.
“He expressed his desire for more opportunities for such enriching encounters, which will pave the way for further enhancing India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership relations”, the statement added.
Earlier, Modi met with Kishida in a bilateral meeting to discuss ways to coordinate G7 and G20 presidencies to address various global challenges.
Modi arrived in Hiroshima on Friday for the first phase of his three-nation trip to Japan, Papua New Guinea, and Australia, where he is scheduled to participate in over 40 engagements.
Modi is in Hiroshima from May 19 to 21, mostly for the annual summit of the G7 advanced nations, where he is expected to address global concerns such as food, fertilizer, and energy security.
He will hold bilateral meetings with several of the world leaders attending the G7 Summit in Hiroshima. Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, and Italy are members of the G7, as is the European Union.
He will also attend Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida’s third in-person Quad Summit.
The meeting will also feature US President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
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