Modi calls on former Japanese PMs Yoshihide Suga, Fumio Kishida

Tokyo, Aug 29 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called on his former Japanese counterparts Yoshihide Suga and Fumio Kishida here during his two-day visit to the east Asian nation.

Modi, who arrived in Tokyo this morning amid a strain in New Delhi's relations with Washington over President Donald Trump's policies on trade and tariffs, also met with Fukushiro Nukaga, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan.

Modi in a social media post said he had a “wonderful meeting” with Kishida.

“He has always been a great advocate of closer India–Japan relations. We discussed the progress in our bilateral partnership across trade, critical technologies and human resource mobility. We also discussed the vast potential in emerging areas such as technology and semiconductors,” Modi said.

“Both sides discussed the progress in India-Japan ties and the potential of taking forward India-Japan partnership for mutual progress and prosperity,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a post on X.

Modi also posted about his meeting with Suga, who is the Chairman of the Japan-India Association, and said they spoke about the many “dimensions of India–Japan cooperation”.

“Our discussions covered how to build closer collaboration, including in technology, AI, trade, investment and beyond,” he wrote.

Modi also appreciated the role played by the Japan-India Association in fostering friendship and business linkages between the two countries, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

In his meeting with Speaker Nukaga, the two leaders discussed the “strong and friendly relations between India and Japan with a special focus on parliamentary exchanges, human resource development, cultural exchanges and cooperation across key sectors including the economy, health, mobility partnership, AI, science, technology and more”.

Earlier in an address at a business forum, Modi said India and Japan will together shape the Asian century for stability, growth and prosperity.

After concluding his Japan tour, Modi will travel to China on a two-day visit to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Tianjin on August 31 and September 1. PTI GSP GSP