Tokyo, Oct 21 (IANS) Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi held 20 meetings and two roundtable discussions with Japanese government officials and industry leaders in Tokyo on Wednesday, focusing on potential investments in electric vehicles, semiconductors, clean energy, chemicals and advanced manufacturing ahead of the next Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.
The delegation met representatives of major Japanese companies, including Suzuki Motor Corporation, JERA, Tokyo Electron, Sumitomo Chemical, Furukawa Electric and Marubeni Corporation, as part of the state government’s efforts to attract investment and strengthen industrial ties with Japan.
Sanghavi also met Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yasutaka Nakasone at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The discussions centred on strengthening India-Japan relations, particularly cooperation between Gujarat and Japan, and advancing their strategic partnership.
The delegation also met Iwate Prefecture Governor Takuya Tasso to discuss regional development, industrial policies and capacity building.
Discussions with Kazushige Tanaka, director general of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), focused on expanding bilateral trade, promoting investment and improving policy cooperation.
Automobile manufacturing and the electric vehicle ecosystem were among the key areas of engagement.
In a meeting with Suzuki Motor Corporation president Toshihiro Suzuki, the delegation discussed expanding the company’s automobile-related activities in Gujarat, developing the electric vehicle ecosystem and establishing vendor parks.
A separate roundtable discussion was held with Suzuki’s vendors.
The delegation also explored opportunities in clean energy and power generation with JERA chief executive Izumi Kai, with discussions covering potential projects in Gujarat and the transition towards cleaner energy.
In the semiconductor sector, talks with Tokyo Electron chairman Takeshi Okubo focused on semiconductor manufacturing, equipment supply chains and possible investments in Gujarat’s semiconductor hub.
The delegation met Sumitomo Chemical president Nobuaki Mito to discuss cooperation in speciality chemicals and petrochemicals.
Furukawa Electric was among the companies with which potential investments in fibre-optic infrastructure, telecommunications and advanced materials were explored.
Discussions with Marubeni Corporation’s general manager of global planning and coordination, Kensuke Tatsukawa, covered global supply chains and trading projects in Gujarat.
The delegation also met Moririn Limited to explore textile technologies and the possibility of setting up manufacturing units.
Other companies that participated in meetings with the delegation included Honda Motor, Kyowa Leather, Sanrio, Meiraku Corporation, Nissei Plastic Industrial, JFE Steel, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, MUFG Bank and SMBC.
The delegation also met with representatives of Live Nation, a global live entertainment company.
Throughout the engagements, the Gujarat delegation highlighted the state’s industrial infrastructure, investment policies, government support and measures to facilitate business.
The delegation invited Japanese companies and investors to explore opportunities to set up or expand operations in Gujarat and to participate in the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.
The visit is part of the Gujarat government’s investment outreach to Japan ahead of the summit, with the state seeking to deepen industrial cooperation and build long-term partnerships with Japanese businesses.
–IANS
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