Kolkata to host Indo-Japan cultural festival in 2027, boosting bilateral trade and air connectivity

Kolkata: As India celebrates 75 years of Indo-Japan friendship next year, a joint cultural exchange with Japan and Bengal will be organised in 2027. A seven-member high-level Japanese delegation, led by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ayano Kunimitsu, during their visit to Kolkata on Friday, held a meeting with West Bengal Industry and Commerce Minister Tapas Roy and other senior officials to explore bilateral trade, direct air connectivity and cultural ties between Japan and Bengal.

Roy said the Indo-Japan cultural festival will include cultural exchanges and food from both Bengal and Japan, animation and other cultural exchanges. Establishing direct air connectivity between Japan and Kolkata was discussed, Roy said.

The Bengal government and Japanese delegation have discussed direct air connectivity between Kolkata and Japan, including direct flights, a "hassle-free" business environment and renewable energy in West Bengal.


The minister claimed the state government assured them of providing a conducive business environment. Japanese companies working here should be able to operate in a completely "hassle-free" manner, the delegation members emphasised. “They should receive a single-window system to have their problems resolved, something we have been saying and working on for a long time,” Roy said, adding that Japanese companies working in India should be able to operate in a completely hassle-free manner.

Apart from the Japanese minister, Yoshihisa Ishikawa, the Consul-General of Japan in Kolkata, was also part of the meeting.

Meanwhile, Japanese MNC Mitsubishi is scouting for land in Bengal, and a delegation had recently visited Bengal and met Roy. “We have raised the issue with the Japanese minister and he will speak to the company once in Japan. They will also send some Japanese companies to Bengal for investments,” Roy said.

Referring to the exit of Japanese chemical major Mitsubishi Chemical from West Bengal, Roy said investors, both from the country and abroad, seek a conducive business environment.

In the meeting of the Japanese delegation, Chief Advisor to West Bengal Chief Minister Subrata Gupta and Principal Secretary of the Commerce and Industries Department Vandana Yadav were present at the meeting.

Indo-Japan cultural festival in 2027

Japan and India will hold a joint cultural celebration in the coming year to celebrate collaboration and 75-year-long friendship between the two countries, Roy said.

The minister said West Bengal would also mark 75 years of India-Japan bilateral relations in 2027 with a series of programmes.

The coming year marks the 75th anniversary of Indo-Japan relations. “We both expressed a keen interest in celebrating this jointly through cultural exchanges, food habits, food and cultural festivals showcasing the best of West Bengal and Japan. Food counters and festivals will feature special foods from West Bengal and appeal to Japanese visitors and Japanese foods,” Roy said.