Bhubaneswar: A high-level delegation from Japan’s Tottori Prefectural Government held a meeting with Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary, Anu Garg, on Monday at Lok Seva Bhawan to explore avenues of cooperation in areas such as water resource management, climate resilience, skill development, and smart agriculture.
The eight-member Tottori delegation, led by Akifumi Shimizu, Director of the Commerce and Logistics Department, and Rosuke Yamaguchi, Head of Overseas Trade Assistance, included trade and industry representatives. The meeting marked a continuation of the growing engagement between Odisha and Tottori, following the delegation’s earlier visit to the state in August 2024.
The meeting gains further significance in the context of the recent interaction between Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, a native of Tottori, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s visit to Japan in August 2025, where both leaders discussed deepening cooperation in business and technical education.
Garg, who had also virtually participated in Tottori Day organized by the Indian Embassy in September 2025, reiterated Odisha’s keen interest in drawing from Tottori’s expertise in climate-resilient water infrastructure, groundwater conservation, and coastal management. She emphasized the potential for collaborative projects that integrate Japan’s technological innovations with Odisha’s developmental priorities.
During the meeting, discussions covered opportunities for economic and industrial cooperation, exchange of skilled human resources, and technology transfer in agriculture, water management, sanitation, and wastewater treatment. The Tottori representatives highlighted their prefecture’s scenic landscape and the application of advanced technology in sustainable development. They also noted that several Indian youth are undergoing training under Japan’s Technical Intern Training Programme and the Specific Skilled Worker scheme, contributing to sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare in Japan, including Tottori.
The delegation also visited the World Skill Center in Bhubaneswar, where they expressed keen interest in partnering with Odisha to tap into its skilled workforce and strengthen bilateral cooperation in vocational training and technical education.
Garg appreciated Tottori’s proactive engagement and encouraged the delegation to visit the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) and the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment to identify specific collaboration areas in smart agriculture and water conservation technologies.
The meeting was attended by Hemant Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary of Industries, Information & Public Relations Department; Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary of Housing & Urban Development, Commerce & Transport; the Chief Engineer of the State Irrigation Department; and the Special Secretary of the Planning & Coordination Department.
