Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government and Japan’s Tottori Prefecture government held an online meeting on Friday to discuss a proposed Friendship Agreement aimed at expanding cooperation across a range of sectors, including economic development, tourism, culture, education and human resource development.
The virtual meeting saw detailed discussions on strengthening long-term bilateral engagement and creating new avenues for collaboration between the two regions.
During the interaction, the Tottori Prefecture government presented a draft proposal outlining potential areas of cooperation. The proposed agreement seeks to facilitate partnerships in economic activities, tourism promotion, cultural exchanges, student and youth engagement programmes, and skill and human resource development initiatives.
Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg and Tottori Prefecture Chief Secretary Endo Toshiki exchanged greetings on behalf of their respective governments at the outset of the meeting and reaffirmed their commitment to fostering closer ties.
The Japanese side was represented by officials from the Tourism and International Exchange Bureau, Tottori Development Office, Home and International Affairs divisions, Commerce and Logistics Department, and the International Relations Coordinator’s office. Representatives from the Embassy of India in Japan also participated in the discussions.
Senior Odisha government officials attending the meeting from Lok Seva Bhawan included representatives from the Home Department, Industries Department, Information and Public Relations Department, Sports and Youth Services Department, Skill Development and Technical Education Department, and the EPIC Directorate. Senior officials from the Tourism Department and the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Department joined the discussions virtually.
The two sides also reviewed plans for upcoming exchanges. A working-level delegation from Tottori Prefecture is scheduled to visit Odisha in July, while a high-level delegation led by the Governor of Tottori Prefecture is expected to travel to the state in November.
Officials expressed optimism that the proposed Friendship Agreement would open up opportunities for cooperation in MSME development, promotion of local products, education and skill enhancement, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
The discussions follow recent diplomatic engagements between Odisha and Japanese representatives. On May 20, the Consul General of Japan in Kolkata met Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and discussed the proposed partnership. The following day, he also held talks with the state’s Chief Secretary on the initiative.
