More details of Japanese PM Takaichi's India visit to be announced soon: MEA
New Delhi, June 23
The Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday that further details about the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to India will be furnished at an appropriate time.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Randhir Jaiswal, was responding to media personnel's queries at a press briefing in the national capital today.
"We will provide you with detailed information about the visit of the Japanese Prime Minister at the appropriate time. Please wait for that," Jaiswal said.
Takaichi is likely to travel between July 1 and July 3 for her maiden visit to India after she assumed office on October 21 last year, making her the first woman in Japanese history to hold the Prime Ministerial position.
Earlier this morning, sources had said that while Guwahati was considered as a "possible venue" and "offered to the Japanese side," given Takaichi's tight schedule and due to "logistical issues," her visit is likely to be held in New Delhi.
"Given PM Takaichi's domestic commitments, the window between her proposed arrival in India and her departure is quite tight. In view of this and the additional logistical issues connected to a visit outside the capital, the visit is likely to be held in Delhi," the sources said.
This would also accommodate certain programming elements that both sides are keen on to give a boost to bilateral ties, they said.
Last week, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had hinted at the possibility of the Japanese Prime Minister visiting Guwahati on July 1 for summit-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Japanese local media had recently reported that Takaichi was set to visit Assam in early July and as per a Nikkei report, she would be accompanied by leaders from over 50 Japanese companies and organisations.
Meanwhile, a report in NHK said that during the meeting with PM Modi the two leaders are expected to discuss concrete measures for cooperation in a range of fields, including security and economy, based on the Japan-India joint vision for the next decade announced during PM Modi's visit to Japan last year.
During his meeting with Takaichi on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France earlier this month, PM Modi emphasised that India and Japan will continue to deepen ties across diverse sectors, with trade and investment remaining priority areas.
Takaichi, a protege of the late former PM Shinzo Abe, is the first woman Prime Minister of Japan. Incidentally, Abe was due to visit Guwahati for summit talks with PM Modi in December 2019, but his visit had been postponed.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally, a Japanese PM visit that might actually yield results! The trade and security cooperation potential is huge. But the logistics excuse for avoiding Guwahati sounds like a cover-up for deeper issues. Still, let's see what they announce.
India-Japan friendship is getting stronger every year! PM Modi and PM Takaichi's meeting in France was a good sign. But I hope they discuss Act East policy seriously - Northeast needs more Japanese investment in infrastructure and tourism.
Interesting that Guwahati was considered but then dropped. Could be a sign that Japan is being more cautious with Modi's national security priorities. Still, the fact that 50 Japanese firms are coming is huge for Make in India. 🇮🇳🤝🇯🇵
It's good that they are planning the visit properly. Shimla could have been a nice venue too, but Delhi makes sense for a tight schedule. Hope the bond with Japan continues to grow - they are like a reliable partner in this uncertain world.
No big deal - Delhi is fine for summit talks. But I wonder why Assam CM was so keen to host it. Maybe he wanted to show off his state's progress. Anyway, as long as India gets good investment deals, I'm happy.
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