Japan-India Relations
Japan-India Summit Meeting
September 23, 2021
Japan-India Summit Meeting(Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
Japan-India Summit Meeting(Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
Japan-India Summit Meeting(Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
On September 23rd, commencing at 17: 35 (local time; on September 24, 6:35 JST) for approximately 45minutes, Mr. SUGA Yoshihide, Prime Minister of Japan, who is visting Washington D.C., the United States, held a summit meeting with H.E. Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India. The overview of the meeting is as follows.
- After welcoming the face-to-face meeting with Prime Minister Modi, Prime Minister Suga reiterated the importace of the partnership with India, which shares the basic values with Japan, and especially the role of Prime Minister Modi in it, who has long advocated the importance of rule-based order and the rule of law, to realize a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific." Prime Minister Suga also welcomed the steady progress in the cooperative relationship between the two countries even under the difficult situation caused by COVID-19. He also expressed his hope that the Varanasi International Cooperation and Convention Centre, which was built with Japan's grant aid and both Prime ministers celebrated together in July this year upon the completion, would be utilized as a "symbol of friendship between Japan and India."
Prime Minister Modi expressed his gratitude for Prime Minister Suga’s significant contribution to the Japan-India relations and stated that India’s relations with Japan are very important not only for both countries but also for the stability and prosperity of the region and the world. Prime Minister Modi also congratulated the success of Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the great performance of Japanese athletes, and Prime Minister Suga expressed his appreciation in response. - The two leaders shared the view on the importance of maritime security toward the realization of a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" and reaffirmed to work closely with each other and also with the U.S. and Australia, in order to strengthen the connectivity in the region, as well as to form an international order based on the rule of law. The two leaders shared strong opposition to the economic coercion and unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the East and South China Seas.
- Prime Minister Suga stated that Japan strongly condemned North Korea's recent ballistic missile launch as a violation of the relevant UN Security Council resolution, and that North Korea’s recent nuclear and missile related activities threaten the peace and security of Japan, the region, and the international community and that the full implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions is essential to achieve the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement (CVID). Prime Minister Suga also asked for understanding and cooperation for the immediate resolution of the abductions issue.
- The two leaders concurred that they would continue to cooperate in tackling COVID-19, as well as in the security field including holding the next round of Japan-India Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting (“2 + 2”) at an early date. They also concurred on continuing cooperartion in the field of economy and economic cooperation including in digital, green technology, healthcare, and enhancing connectivity. In that context, Prime Minister Suga mentioned potential areas of cooperation such as establishing safe and reliable 5G network and submarine cables, strengthening industrial competitiveness and supply chain, realizing realistic energy transitions, accepting workers from India under the system of Specified Skilled Worker (SSW), enhancing the exchanges of IT professionals, and promoting development of India’s North Eastern Region. The two leaders also reaffirmed that they would continue to cooperate toward the steady progress of the High-Speed Rail project, which is the symbol of the Japan-India cooperation. At the end, they shared the views that various efforts would be made on the 70th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and India in 2022 to take the birateral relations as the “Special Strategic and Global Partnership” to a new height.