Japanese PM assures help in developing AP capital 'Amaravati'

Hyderabad, Jul 7: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today assured Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu that his country would extend all technical and possible financial assistance in developing the state capital.

Abe appreciated AP government's efforts in attracting investments, when Naidu met him in Tokyo, the Chief Minister's office said in a statement issued here.

The Chief Minister also invited Abe to the foundation stone-laying ceremony of new capital, named

, and also assured him that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would write to him inviting him for the October 22 event, it said.

"Naidu also requested to make some institutionalised arrangement for AP-Japan relationship, to which the Japan PM replied in affirmative", the statement said.

Naidu presented Tirupati "prasadam" and a shawl to Abe. Meanwhile, SoftBank Founder and CEO, Masayoshi Son informed the chief minister at a meeting that it would manufacture solar panels under the 'Make in India' initiative and set up its manufacturing unit in Andhra Pradesh.

"We are ready to set up a 20 GW solar power plant in your state," the statement quoted Son as saying. SoftBank also came forward to sponsor scholarships to engineering students who are willing to specialise in solar power engineering.

In another meeting, executive vice-president of NEC, Takayuki Morita, said his company is looking to partner with Andhra Pradesh in cyber security, road transport systems and broadband connectivity.

In this regard, Andhra Pradesh government would sign an MoU with NEC tomorrow, it was stated.

Japan's Mizuho Bank and Sunrise AP, an AP government organisation, today signed an MoU by which the Mizuho would facilitate investments from Japanese companies.

PTI