Japanese PM Fumio Kishida’s India Visit

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What are the challenges in India-Japan Relationship?
• News Summary: Japanese PM Fumio Kishida’s India visit
• List of Outcomes: Visit of Prime Minister of Japan to India
• Key Highlights of the speech given by Japanese PM: Plans for Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)

 

Why in news?

• Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida paid an official visit to India.
• During this visit, he invited PM Modi and the leaders of other countries in the region -- including South Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam -- as well as Brazil to a G7 summit in May.
  • Japan holds the presidency of this year’s G7 Summit.

 

What are the challenges in India-Japan Relationship?

• While India can emerge as a large market for Japanese infrastructure system exports, there have been incredible delays in the commencement of the projects.
• Japanese companies face considerable logistics challenges and non-availability of uninterrupted power supply constraints their plans for establishing manufacturing plants in India.
• The two-country seems to have different opinion on the current Ukraine crisis. While Japan openly criticised Russia for invading Ukraine, India has not done so publicly.

 

News Summary: Japanese PM Fumio Kishida’s India visit

• Prime Minister of Japan, Kishida Fumio paid an Official Visit to India. During the visit, he held talks with PM Modi. 
• The centrepiece of Kishida’s visit was the Sapru House Lecture.
• In this lecture, he laid out Japan’s “New plan for a free and open Indo-Pacific – Together with India as an indispensable partner”. 
  • This address was built on the historic speech by late former premier Shinzo Abe in India’s Parliament in 2007, which spoke of India and Japan nurturing the coupling of the Indian and Pacific Oceans to ensure freedom and prosperity.

 

List of Outcomes: Visit of Prime Minister of Japan to India

• Exchange of Notes of tranche - IV JICA Official Development Assistance (ODA) Loan of JPY 300 billion for Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR).
  • MAHSR is being developed as a joint venture between the India and Japan, using Japanese Shinkansen technology.
• Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of Japanese Language Education in India

 

Key Highlights of the speech given by Japanese PM: Plans for Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)

• Four new pillars for cooperation for FOIP
  • Principles for peace and rules for prosperity; 
  • Addressing challenges in an Indo-Pacific way; 
  • Multi-layered connectivity in south-east Asia, south Asia, and the Pacific Islands region; and 
  • Extending efforts for security and safe use of the sea to the air.
• India 'indispensable' in ensuring free Indo-Pacific
  • Japanese PM emphasised that India is indispensable in Tokyo’s plan for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
  • India and Japan have a great responsibility towards maintaining and strengthening a free and open international order based on the rule of law.
• Bay of Bengal-Northeast India industrial value chain concept
  • Japan will promote the “Bay of Bengal-Northeast India industrial value chain concept” with India and Bangladesh for the growth of the entire region.
    • Tokyo will look at projects to improve connectivity between the Indian and Bangladeshi economies and work on getting more Japanese companies to invest in the region.
• Japan will coordinate with other major countries
  • In order to achieve the objectives of FOIP, Japan will also strengthen coordination with the US, Australia, UK, Canada, Europe and elsewhere.
    • India, Japan, the United States and Australia make up the Quad alliance.
    • This alliance positions itself as a bulwark against China's growing assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Expanded scope of FOIP
  • Japanese PM said that FOIP's scope would expand to include new areas like climate change, cybersecurity, and food security.
• Financial commitment
  • Japanese PM highlighted that Japan would also direct public and private capital worth $75 billion towards Indo-Pacific infrastructure by 2030.
• Proposed the idea of working together with ASEAN to bring prosperity in the region
  • This year, Japan holds the G7 presidency and India holds the G20 presidency.
  • In this context, he said that through working together with ASEAN and many other countries, peace and prosperity can be ensured in the region.
  • He stressed that the principles for peace and rules for prosperity form the backbone of FOIP.

 

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Q1) What is the geographical location of Japan?

Japan is an island country located in East Asia. It is situated in the Pacific Ocean and comprises a chain of islands, the largest of which are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku. Japan is located to the east of the Asian continent, and it is bordered by the Sea of Japan to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east. It is located approximately 36 degrees north latitude and 138 degrees east longitude.

 

Q2) What is Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project? 

The Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail, also known as the Bullet Train, is a high-speed railway line under construction in India that will connect the cities of Mumbai in the state of Maharashtra and Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat. It is being developed as a joint venture between the Government of India and the Government of Japan, using Japanese Shinkansen technology.

 

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Source: Japan PM says India 'indispensable' in ensuring free Indo-Pacific | MEA | Hindustan Times | The Hindu