Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav pays floral tribute to Gandhi statue in Japan; commends India-Japan's dated ties

Tokyo: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday paid floral tributes to the Mahatma Gandhi statue situated in Edogawa ward here as he commended the time-honoured ties between India and Japan and expressed hope for potential future collaborations.

The chief minister is on a 4-day visit to Japan and will be visiting Tokyo, Osaka, and Kobe between January 28 and 31, 2025, as he aims to highlight Madhya Pradesh's potential to investors and extend an invitation for the upcoming Global Investor Summit in the state.

Yadav referred to how the two countries share a longstanding relationship that dates back to the Indian independence era, highlighting that freedom fighters Subhash Chandra Bose, Rash Behari Bose as well as Swami Vivekananda, and Guru Rabindranath Tagore have all been related to Japan in some way.

Yadav said the friendship has strengthened ever since the Modi government took charge, adding that he sees immense opportunities in working together on several aspects.

Japan is one of the best nations in the world when it comes to the technology industry, he added.

"During my visit to Japan, I had the honour of offering floral tributes and paying respects at the statue of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi Ji, located in Gandhi Park, Edogawa City.

The revered life of Bapu, devoted to the principles of love, non-violence, and harmony, will forever remain a source of inspiration for us," the minister wrote in a post on X.

The Madhya Pradesh Global Investors Summit (GIS) 2025 is slated to be held in Bhopal on February 24-25, 2025. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the event.

More than 15,000 investors from over 30 countries are expected to attend this two-day summit, which will serve as a major attraction for industrialists.

The chief minister is accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes Rajesh Kumar Rajora (Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister), Raghvendra Kumar Singh (Principal Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion), Sudam Khade (Secretary and Commissioner, Public Relations Department), as well as officials from the MP Industrial Development Corporation.

Earlier in the day, Yadav met the Indian Ambassador to Japan Sibi George to discuss opportunities and potential economic sectors to boost industrial activities between Japan and Madhya Pradesh.

He also met Japanese carmaker Toyota Motor Corporation's senior leadership to whom he pitched the investment potential in Madhya Pradesh.

He discussed potential trade ties with Toshiyuki Nakahara, Department General Manager, Administration and Support Department, India and Middle East Division, and Masahiro Nogi, Project General Manager, Administration and Support Department, India and Middle East Division, Toyota Motor Corporation.

Yadav emphasised that Madhya Pradesh's central location in India provides significant advantages for businesses by facilitating access to various markets and encouraged the automotive giant to explore numerous investment opportunities within the state.

Toyota officials said Madhya Pradesh is an "important state", and the company is keen to work closely with the state government. During the interaction, the company highlighted its operations, stockyard presence, dealer network, and sales volumes, and said Toyota Technical Education Program is focused on skilling youth in the state.

The company expressed interest to "grow together with India".

On day two of the visit (January 29), Yadav will participate in several important business and investment meetings. On the agenda are discussions with the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), the Japan Trade and Investment Organization (JETRO), and the Bridgestone headquarters.

The MP chief minister will also address an interactive session with members of the Indian diaspora and the ‘Friends of MP’ group. These meetings aim to create a platform for promoting industry and trade in Madhya Pradesh.

On January 30, Yadav will visit Kobe and Osaka.