Minister Patil explores possibility for direct flight services from B'luru to Japan's Osaka, Nagoya

Bengaluru, Aug 29 (PTI) Karnataka Minister M B Patil on Friday held discussions with Japan’s Consul General in Bengaluru, Nakane Tsutomu, on launching direct flight services from Bengaluru to Osaka and Nagoya, two major industrial cities in Japan.

The minister, who holds infrastructure, large and medium industries portfolio, said the state government will take steps to boost investment, cultural and educational ties with Japan, along with initiatives to strengthen skills such as language learning.

A 10-day visit to Japan will be undertaken from September 6 to pursue these measures, he said in a statement.

Patil said he told the Japanese official that currently there is only a direct flight from Bengaluru to Tokyo. The Japanese firms have committed Rs 7,500 crore investments in data centres, manufacturing and logistics during the Global Investors Meet in February. "Therefore, there is a need to start direct flight services to Osaka and Nagoya," he said.

He also said that collaboration with universities like Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) to introduce Japanese language courses would be beneficial and that he would explore this during his Japan visit. PTI GMS GMS KH