Representatives from Japan's academia and industry welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's first official visit to India on Thursday, highlighting strengthened bilateral collaboration in education, technology, investment, and healthcare. The visit, which included the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum, opened new avenues for innovation and business between the two countries.
Industry-Academia Collaboration and Education
Kazuhiro Yoshida, President of Japan's Gifu University, emphasized the importance of industry-academia collaboration and next-generation education for sustainable bilateral progress. "I think the most important thing about PM Takaichi's visit here is the collaboration of the industry and also in other fields. Because I am representing Universities, education is very important," Yoshida told ANI.
Yoshida stressed that collaboration should extend beyond industry to include knowledge exchange and research in emerging sectors such as semiconductors, energy, agriculture, and medicine. "To make sustainable progression, the next generation education is basically important. Then, investment and new technologies exchange, including semiconductors, energy, agriculture and medicine. So, it is a really very good start," he added.
AI Healthcare Technology Expansion
Kosuke Kiryu, Managing Director of Tanita India Pvt. Ltd, announced the company's expansion in India, using the country as a base to develop and export innovative healthcare solutions. He highlighted the company's AI-enabled healthcare technology that allows users to undergo a comprehensive body composition assessment in about a minute without invasive procedures.
"We are expanding our business in India and creating new services in India. Our new services combine AI healthcare technology and body composition technologies. This service is from India; then we will expand to other countries. In only one minute, there is a full body checkup without any human damage - like a blood test or x-ray," Kiryu told ANI.
Major Investment and Green Ammonia Project
In her address to the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum in New Delhi, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced 129 private sector cooperation agreements between Japan and India involving investments exceeding JPY 2 trillion. She also declared a joint development of a green ammonia production project with an annual capacity of approximately 400,000 tonnes.
Takaichi described these announcements as a new milestone in bilateral energy security cooperation, noting that the green ammonia project would become "a symbol of a new chapter in energy security cooperation" between the two countries. "Japanese and Indian companies will jointly advance a green ammonia production project with an annual capacity of approximately 400,000 tonnes. I sincerely hope that this project will become a symbol of a new chapter in energy security cooperation between our two countries," she said.
Highlighting the expanding economic partnership, Takaichi stated, "Our cooperation is no longer confined to the energy sector alone. The scope of this partnership continues to expand, and the range of stakeholders involved is becoming increasingly diverse, encompassing startups as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. On this occasion, we are pleased to announce approximately 129 private sector cooperation agreements. Together with this, investments exceeding JPY 2 trillion."
Summit and Exhibition
Takaichi attended the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where they also visited an exhibition showcasing bilateral economic and technological cooperation. Takaichi is on a three-day official visit to India from July 1 to 3 at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi. During the visit, she participated in the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit, where both leaders reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation and discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest.
