PM Modi Urges Japanese Prefectures To Join India’s Growth Journey

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met governors of 16 Japanese prefectures on Saturday, urging them to partner with Indian states and contribute to ‘India’s growth story’ through new initiatives and collaborations.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the meeting reaffirmed India’s commitment to advancing ties with Japan at the grassroots and regional levels.

The discussions highlighted the significance of the ‘State-Prefecture Partnership Initiative’, designed to deepen cooperation between Indian states and Japanese prefectures across strategic sectors.

In his address, PM Modi observed that modern-day India-Japan ties, enriched by centuries-old cultural links, ‘have continued to flourish’, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) noted.

He stressed the growing momentum in the ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’, calling for a renewed focus on state and prefectural engagement beyond the traditional links centred on Delhi and Tokyo.

Key Sectors of Collaboration

Recalling the launch of the State-Prefecture Partnership Initiative at the 15th Annual Summit, PM Modi said the framework would help expand cooperation in trade, technology, tourism, skills, security, and cultural exchanges.

The Prime Minister encouraged governors and Indian states to build alliances in manufacturing, innovation, mobility, infrastructure, start-ups and SMEs.

He underlined that while each Japanese prefecture has distinct strengths, India’s states also bring diverse capabilities, making collaboration mutually beneficial.

He further called for joint efforts in youth and skills exchange, noting the potential to combine ‘Japanese technology with Indian talent’.

The governors, for their part, agreed that regional partnerships are crucial for elevating business, cultural, educational and people-to-people engagement to the next level.

Sharing details of the interaction, the MEA posted, “Taking greater strides in the steadfast India-Japan ties. PM @narendramodi met with the Governors of 16 prefectures in Tokyo. PM highlighted the potential of states-prefectures collaboration and in this regard urged action under the State-Prefecture Partnership Initiative launched during 15th India-Japan Annual Summit for shared progress. Discussions focused on ways to further deepen the growing partnerships between Indian states and Japanese prefectures in the fields of technology, innovation, investment, skills, start-ups and SMEs.