PM Modi's long-standing relationship with Japan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s engagement with Japan dates back to April 2007, when as Chief Minister of Gujarat he made his first official visit to the country, aiming to put Gujarat on the global investment map.

Leading a 40-member delegation of bureaucrats and industry leaders, Modi toured Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima and Kobe during a six-day trip. He held discussions with Japanese corporate giants, including Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo, Marubeni, Suzuki, Toshiba, Nippon Steel, Nissan Steel, Unido and Tsuneshi Shipbuilding. The visit saw the signing of MoUs between the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and Gujarat’s Industries Department, covering areas such as ports, logistics, infrastructure and human resource development.

At the Japan Chambers of Commerce and Industries and the Indo-Japan Friendship Forum, Gujarat also pitched itself as the natural entry point for Japan into India’s growth story.

During the trip, Modi also met then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The two leaders discussed the Delhi–Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), with Abe assuring Japan’s support for Gujarat’s stretch of the mega project. Modi gifted Abe a CD on Gujarat’s Buddhist heritage and a handwoven tribal shawl, while extending an invitation to visit the state.