Gandhinagar: Five MoUs were signed on Tuesday, a day marked as Gujarat-Japan Partnership Day in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and the governor of Shizuoka Prefecture. These include five friendship agreements, a Memorandum of Cooperation under the Shizuoka Business Intern Program, a proposal for cooperation between the cities of Ahmedabad and Hamamatsu, an MoU for the versatile Micro E-Mobility Project and an MoU between Suzuki Motor Corporation and Ahmedabad Management Association.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said, "Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Vibrant Gujarat Summit has strengthened Gujarat-Japan relations, driving industrial, economic, and social growth. Gujarat has become a second home for Japanese industries."
Yasutomo said Gujarat's industry-friendly ecosystem has attracted numerous prestigious Japanese industries to invest in the state. Patel further said that the cordial relations between Gujarat and Japan have paved the way for new avenues of development. A ceremony to formalize friendship agreements between Gujarat and Japan's Shizuoka Prefecture under the Partnership Day initiative was held at Mahatma Mandir. During the event, a Sister State Friendship Agreement was signed between the Government of Gujarat and Shizuoka Prefecture, ceremonially exchanged by Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel and the Governor of Shizuoka Prefecture.
Patel also said Gujarat and Shizuoka Prefecture share many remarkable similarities, both having a common vision focused on innovation, sustainability, and people-centric development. Additionally, Gujarat is home to the longest 1,600-kilometer coastline along the Arabian Sea, while Shizuoka boasts an expansive coastline along the Pacific Ocean.
Gujarat is home to key industries including textiles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, automotive, ceramics, gems and jewellery. Similarly, Shizuoka is renowned for its production sector, particularly in automotive and electronics. Gujarat has emerged as a manufacturing and 'auto hub,' with significant contributions from Japanese companies such as Suzuki Motors, Honda Motorcycles and Scooters, Mitsubishi, and Toyota, he added.
The Chief Minister stated that Gujarat has become a second home for Japanese companies. A Japanese Industrial Park has been established in Mandal, where Japan initially set up five companies. Today, over 350 Japanese institutions and companies are operational in Gujarat. He mentioned that Gujarat has become the most preferred investment destination, thanks to proactive policy-making, ease of doing business, an investor-friendly approach, strong industrial and logistics infrastructure, and a quality of life. Gujarat is also at the forefront of emerging sectors such as green ammonia, green hydrogen, renewable energy, and semiconductors.
The agreements between Gujarat and Shizuoka Prefecture lay a strong foundation for future collaboration. These agreements will enable both regions to leverage each other's strengths in areas such as trade, commerce, technology, innovation, cultural exchange, and tourism.
Yasutomo also voiced his enthusiasm, noting the long-standing and robust relationship between Japan and India, especially with Gujarat. He stated that the friendship agreement signed today will mark a historic step in the development of both Gujarat and Shizuoka. He further added that Gujarat has emerged as the cornerstone of India's economic development. He also termed Gujarat as India’s startup hub, with the potential to accelerate the nation’s economic progress. He voiced optimism that the friendship agreement will not only stimulate industrial growth but also significantly boost tourism in both regions. He extended an invitation to Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel to visit Shizuoka, Japan.
Mayor of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, Pratibha Jain stated that under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel, Ahmedabad has become a hub for innovative infrastructure. She added that this MoU will significantly encourage sectors such as startups, healthcare, education, and arts and culture in Gujarat.
The mayor of Hamamatsu City of Japan, Yusuke Nakano, admired Gujarat’s hospitality and noted that the agreement between Ahmedabad and Hamamatsu will strengthen the friendly ties between the two regions. He highlighted Hamamatsu’s role as the manufacturing hub for Suzuki, which plays a vital role in Japan’s economic and social development and emphasized the significance of Suzuki's contributions to Gujarat's growth.
President of Suzuki Motors India, Toshihiro Suzuki, said since Suzuki’s investment in Gujarat in 2017, the company has been exporting from Gujarat to 67 countries, including Europe and Japan. He also mentioned that around 10 Japanese hotels have been established in the Bechraji zone.
