India-Japan friendship more relevant for global stability in the era of Covid: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the friendship and partnership of India and Japan has become more relevant for global stability and prosperity in the current era of Covid-19 pandemic.

After virtually inaugurating a Japanese ‘Zen Garden — Kaizen Academy’ at the Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA), Modi said when many global challenges are facing us, it is the need of the hour that the relationship between the two countries is further strengthened.

The PM said, “We have the confidence of centuries-old cultural ties and a common vision for the future. On the basis of the same, we have been continuously strengthening our special strategic and global partnership. We have also made a special arrangement of Japan-Plus in PMO. When former Prime Minister of Japan and my friend Shinzo Abe came to Gujarat, it had given a new pace to Indo-Japan relations. He was very excited with the bullet train project. Even today, when we talk, he remembers his Gujarat visit.

“The current Prime Minister of Japan Yoshihide Suga, too, is a very clear-sighted person. PM Suga and I believe that in this current era of Covid pandemic, our friendship and partnership has become even more relevant for global stability and prosperity. Today, when many global challenges are facing us, it is the need of the hour that our friendship and relations become stronger day by day. And effort like Kaizen Academy is certainly a beautiful example of that,” Modi said.

Modi said that whenever he said that he wanted to create a mini-Japan in Gujarat, he meant that Japanese people should “feel at home in Gujarat”.

The PM said that more than 135 leading Japanese companies are functioning across Gujarat. “These companies are also helping a lot in skill development of Gujarat’s youths. Three Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing are imparting training to hundreds of youths in Gujarat.”