Japanese delegation, UP chief minister discuss ways to strengthen strategic ties

Lucknow, Jan 28 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday met a Japanese delegation led by Junichi Ishidera, Vice Governor of Japan's Yamanashi prefecture, and discussed ways to strengthen strategic partnership.

"Had a fruitful meeting and cordial discussions with Mr. Junichi Ishidera, Hon. Vice Governor of Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan along with a high-level delegation, at my official residence in Lucknow," Adityanath said in a post on X.

The Ishidera-led eight-member delegation, during the meeting, focused on further strengthening the growing strategic partnership between India and Japan under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as advancing emerging cooperation between Uttar Pradesh and Yamanashi prefecture.

Welcoming the Japanese delegation in the state capital, the chief minister said that India-Japan relations are not merely diplomatic but are rooted in shared values such as mutual trust, discipline, innovation and sustainable development, according to an official statement.

He underlined that UP is fully committed to translating this partnership into concrete outcomes at the grassroots level.

During discussions, special emphasis was laid on the effective implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2024 between the Uttar Pradesh government and Yamanashi.

The MoU provides a strong framework for cooperation in clean energy, particularly green hydrogen, along with innovation, capacity building and sustainable industrial development.

The chief minister noted that centres of excellence have been established in the state to promote research, innovation and skill development in the green hydrogen sector.

He added that the Uttar Pradesh Green Hydrogen Policy-2024 has created a clear, transparent and investor-friendly ecosystem, with the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) entrusted with its implementation.

The meeting also highlighted the commencement of commercial operations of a green hydrogen pilot project in the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) area as a significant milestone.

The Japanese delegation, the statement said, praised the UP government's initiatives in the clean energy sector and expressed interest in expanding future cooperation.

Discussions also covered the deep civilisational and cultural ties between India and Japan, with particular focus on strengthening people-to-people contacts through Buddhist heritage and the Buddhist tourism circuit.

Expressing confidence in the future, the chief minister said that cooperation between Uttar Pradesh and Yamanashi prefecture would further deepen in the coming years, giving new direction to a long-term partnership in green energy, industrial development, innovation and cultural exchange. PTI ABN HVA HVA