Japanese Prime Minister brings fraternity, meets friends in Mumbai

Mumbai, Dec.28 (ANI): Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's visit to India provides the country an opportunity to build firm relations with that country as Japan under his leadership has spoken of India as a pillar of the proposed relationship between India, Japan and leading Asian countries.

Yukio Hatoyama is known as a man with a vision and heart, who is looked upon by people to bring about an era of change. He is considered to be a leader, who will bring prosperity not only in Japan but throughout Asia and the world at large.

On Monday, Prime Minister Hatoyama had a meeting with his long time friend from India, Vibhav Kant Upadhyay, the Chairman of the India Centre Foundation (ICF).

Upadhyay has been instrumental in securing the support of the Japanese PM, particularly after the Post-Pokharan sanctions and on many important issues concerning India during last several years, when he was the Leader of Opposition in Japanese Parliament.

Vibhav had convinced and persuaded Mr. Hatoyama to visit India and express solidarity with the country at the critical juncture, when India faced the most serious terror attack on its democracy. PM Hatoyama also acknowledged the role played by Vibhav in conceptualizing the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) and persuading the leadership of both Japan and India in making this dream a reality.

On this occasion in the true spirit of UI, PM Hatoyama met Mukesh Ambani, CMD of Reliance Industries and both discussed the various aspects of collaboration between India and Japan, during this meeting. Mr. Ambani has been one of the supporters of Indian Centre Foundation initiatives to bring India and Japan closer. The Japanese PM also met Rajesh V Shah Chairman of the Mukund group.

During the meeting PM Hatoyama expressed his support for the forthcoming India-Japan global partnership forum 2010. "India-Japan Global Partnership Forum 2010 is an initiative by India Centre and Vibhav. This forum and events likes these are very important for further strengthening of relations between the two countries", said Mr Hatoyama, adding that his government extends full support to this initiative since such initiatives necessarily need the support of the government to achieve the desired goals.

This India-Japan Forum assumes significance on account of the fact that it commemorates the 10th anniversary of India-Japan global partnership agreement. The forum is expected to garner participation of at least 2000 people each from both India and Japan hailing from various walks of life including industry, policy, culture and education etc.

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is scheduled to meet top business leaders and policy makers in Mumbai and Delhi. He will also have a meeting with members of chamber of Commerce and Industries in Mumbai.

The Japanese Prime Minister is scheduled to sign an agreement to create a Project Development Fund between Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) worth one thousand crores aimed to create 24 industrial nodes.nother agreement is to be signed between DMICDC and Japan External Trade Organization to create eco-friendly townships along the Delhi-Mumbai corridor.

Earlier at the start of his tour to India, PM Hatoyama on Sunday paid homage to the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Hatoyama stayed in the Mumbai's Taj Hotel expressing his solidarity with Indian people making a strong statement against terrorism. (ANI)