New Delhi: Maharashtra reiterated on Friday its commitment to strengthening India-Japan ties during Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s meeting with Izumi Miyazaki, Governor of Wakayama Prefecture, and his delegation, in Mumbai.
Highlighting the decade-long sister-State partnership between Maharashtra and Wakayama, which began in 2013, Fadnavis described the relationship as a cornerstone of the broader Indo-Japanese friendship. He emphasized that sustained collaboration with Japan has powered transformative infrastructure projects in the State.
Among the landmark initiatives supported through Indo-Japanese cooperation are the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, Mumbai’s expanding underground Metro network, and the upcoming Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project. The CM, in a post on X, noted that these ventures exemplify the strength and trust underpinning bilateral engagement.
During the discussions, both sides explored avenues to elevate the partnership into its next phase, focusing on unlocking new opportunities in infrastructure, innovation, and other strategic domains.
In a significant cultural proposal, Fadnavis suggested constructing a replica of the Bamiyan Buddha in Nagpur to spread a global message of peace from the land where B. R. Ambedkar embraced Buddhism, underscoring Maharashtra’s historic and spiritual significance.
Reiterating Maharashtra’s forward-looking vision, the CM said the State remains committed to fostering shared prosperity with Japan and building a future defined by connectivity, innovation, and global leadership.
The meeting was attended by Yagi Koji, Consul General of Japan in Mumbai; Akizuki Fuminari, Vice Speaker of the Wakayama Prefectural Assembly; Nijima Takeshi, President of the Japan-India Friendship Promotion Group of the Wakayama Prefectural Assembly; and Rahul Narwekar, Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, among other delegates.
