Japan Consul General expresses interest for trade ties with Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Consul General of Japan at Kolkata Masayuki Taga praised the industrial climate in Odisha and suggested the State Government to hold more interactive meets with Japanese investors so that they can be conversant with the business environment here and explore the resources.

Taga was here on Friday to attend an international seminar on ‘Indo-Japan Relations: Issues and Challenges’ organised by Utkal University. Though Indo-Japan relation has deepened and widened over the years, he said, Odisha’s potential is not much known to Japanese business community.
“We would like to  bring more Japanese people to Odisha. Last year one minister and an official delegation visited Japan and interacted with businessmen. These kind of things will help Japanese people explore the possibility of investments,” he told The Express.

Taga said, relations between Odisha and Japan can be strengthened in cultural and educational exchange besides trade. Japanese investors are keen on investing in India and Odisha can get a good share if initiatives are taken properly, he observed.

On growing Indo-Japan relations, Taga said, as a special strategic and global partner, Japan has been extending a lot of cooperation in various fields. Not only in political diaspora, we have good trade links in defence, science and technology basing on the agreement for technology transfer. Now we have more people-to-people connect. Buddhism may be a product of India, but it is an invention of Japan, he said.
Taga also informed about a Japanese study centre which is coming up in Utkal University soon.