Japanese consul urges Buddha to hardsell Bengal

Kolkata, May 10 (UNI) The Communist Bengal, led by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, should start hardselling the state in Japan in a bid to attract Japanese investment and do away with the existing negative perception.

Japanese Consul General in Kolkata Motoyoshi Noro said this today adding that the Japanese investors still think that Bengal was a ''breeding ground of trade unionism''.

''The Bengal Chief Minister should lead a delegation to Japan and speak to the Japanese companies. The Japanese investors should understand that Bengal, ruled by the Left Front government, is no different from China,'' he said while speaking at an interactive session on ''Further prospects of Trade and Economic Co-operation between Japan and West Bengal'' organised by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce.

''I know the state has changed a lot and the Japanese companies should also realise that as well. Bengal should attract more and more companies like Maharashtra and Karnataka,'' he said.

''Why should Kolkata with its proximity to Japan have lesser number of FDIs compared to these states?'' he questioned.

The Japanses consul general, who had met the Chief Minister, urged him to start direct flight between Kolkata-Tokyo. Earlier, Japanese Airlines and Air India had flights between these two destination which was discontinued.

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