Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg on Tuesday held a high-level meeting with a 13-member delegation from Japan’s Tottori Prefecture led by Tottori Prefecture Chief Secretary Toshiaki Endo to strengthen bilateral ties. The meeting discussed long-term cooperation possibilities in investment, industrial development, human resources, education, tourism, culture, and technology.
Briefing the delegation, Garg spoke about Odisha’s rich commercial tradition and Buddhist heritage. She said Odisha and Japan share centuries-old historical and cultural ties. Referring to growing trade relations between the two countries, she urged Japanese companies to invest in Odisha in areas including green energy, advanced technology and research, skill development, the ‘Skill in Odisha’ programme, development of Odisha’s long coastline, and full utilization of fisheries resources in deep sea for the blue economy, as well as small, medium and large scale industries.
Additional Chief Secretary, Industries, Housing and Information and Public Relations, Hemant Sharma delivered the welcome address. He said both Odisha and Tottori Prefecture share the same vision of sustainable development, innovation and inclusive growth, and that this cooperation will help in long-term development of both provinces. Sharma highlighted Odisha’s industrialization, port-based economy, mineral resources, green energy, skilled human resources, investor-friendly policies and easy business environment.
He expressed hope that synergy between Japan’s advanced technology, engineering and innovation capabilities and Odisha’s resources will create new opportunities for global manufacturing and sustainable industrial development.
The meeting also discussed a proposed Friendship Agreement between the Government of Odisha and Tottori Prefecture. Under the proposed cooperation, the agreement will promote small and medium enterprises, exchange of skilled manpower, creation of employment opportunities, student exchange programmes and educational cooperation, and strengthen tourism sector exchange between both states.
It was informed that the Governor of Tottori Prefecture is scheduled to visit Odisha in November.
Welcoming the proposal, Tottori Chief Secretary Toshiaki Endo said the cooperation will further strengthen India-Japan friendship and accelerate cooperative development of Odisha and Tottori. He also expressed interest in establishing long-term cooperation with Odisha in the field of resources.
Based on Buddhist heritage, both sides discussed exchange of experience, promotion and mutual delegation visits in tourism. In cultural cooperation, initiatives such as promotion of Odisha culture in Japan and Japanese local culture in Odisha, cultural festivals, language education, cultural exhibitions and NGO cooperation were discussed.Both sides agreed to put in place regular government exchanges, coordination mechanisms and joint action plans, and to finalize areas of mutual cooperation with a workable roadmap to take the Odisha-Tottori partnership to new heights.
The meeting was attended by Secretaries of Tourism Department, Culture Department, Skill Development and Technical Education, Sports, and MSME Department, and Managing Director of IPICOL.From the Tottori delegation, Director General of the Tourism and Exchange Bureau, Director of the Department of Commerce and Logistics, Director of the Welfare Department, Director of the Employment Policy Department of the Commerce Department, Director of Employment Support Services, Director of YCP International B.V. Company, and International Relations Coordinator of the company were present.
Representatives of Tottori Prefecture, including Prakash Ali, will be on a three-day visit to Odisha. During the visit they will tour major tourist destinations and institutions including the World Skill Development Center in Bhubaneswar, and discuss possible cooperation with various departments.
