Japan will invest $25bn in India, says Suresh Prabhu

NEW DELHI: Noting Indo-Japan ties have reached a new level, railway minister Suresh Prabhu has said that Japan has committed to invest $25 billion in India and the country will benefit immensely from the investment.

"The relation between India and Japan has never been better. Our bilateral relation has been strengthened and members of parliament have contributed towards it," Prabhu said here while releasing coffee-table book '12 Years of Engaged Leadership: Down the Memory Lane'.

The book contains photographs and gist/focus of meetings held during parliamentary delegation visits to Japan. CII and Sasakawa Peace Foundation under Indo-Japan Strategic Dialogue Programme, launched in 2004, take a delegation of MPs every year to Japan.

Since its launch, 12 delegations of MPs have visited Japan, making significant contribution in terms of enriching the bilateral relationship and strengthening of the economic, political and cultural ties between the two countries.

However, Prabhu said the relationship had its ups and downs as some years ago "there were some pecularity in the relationship".

"But that has changed significantly now. We are helping each other. Our Prime Minister and Japanese Prime Minister has very close personal relationship and had several rounds of bilateral meetings. Their relationship has reached to a new level," the minister added.

Prabhu said "Japan and India are such great friends. Japan is the land of rising Sun and India is the land of shining Sun. So we are partners now and many initiatives are being taken."

Kenji Hiramatsu, Ambassador of Japan, in his address said the level of exchange can be extended further.

"The relation is expanding every year and our relationship has entered a new era," he said.