LIVE | Japan’s PM Ishiba Shigeru Addresses India-Japan Economic Forum_ Tottori, Japan
Kunna Dash has been appointed as the India Business Advisor for Tottori Prefecture, Government of Japan of Japan., the hometown of PM Shigeru Ishiba.
On August 29, 2025, PM Ishiba attended the Japan-India Economic Forum held in Tokyo
In his speech, the PM stated as follows
“Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Namaskar.
It is a great pleasure to welcome Prime Minister Modi to Japan today and to co-host the Japan-India Economic Forum
As has already been mentioned, Japan and India are strategic partners who share universal values such as freedom, democracy, and the rule of law, and over many years we have nurtured deep friendship and trust. The combination of Japan’s technology with India’s talented human resources and vast market has enabled our economic ties to grow rapidly. Many Japanese companies are contributing to Make in India, and our cooperation is now extending beyond the Pacific and Indian Oceans to Africa, and even to Europe
Today, numerous cooperation agreements have been signed between companies of both nations. This demonstrates Japan’s firm commitment to further invest in India and to strengthen our collaboration, as well as clear proof that the building of a resilient supply chain centered on both our countries is steadily progressing. To witness this moment together with Prime Minister Modi is indeed a great honor
I would like to see our cooperation further developed into the future, and in this regard, I wish to highlight three key initiatives
First is the promotion of people-to-people exchange
Six years ago, I visited Varanasi, a place symbolic of India’s culture. The people I met there were filled with strong hope for the future, and I was deeply impressed by the tremendous energy of India’s growth. In my home prefecture of Tottori, together with neighboring Shimane, the San’in-India Association is building bridges between our people through collaboration with the government, industries, and even chambers of commerce in Kerala. Such exchanges are bringing new vitality to regional development. I firmly believe that expanding these human networks will be the key to enriching the future of both nations
Second is the fusion of technology and markets
Under Prime Minister Modi’s policy of building a self-reliant Indian economy, Japanese technologies have already achieved significant results in supporting key economic sectors. Japan and India share the aspiration that “Japan’s Shinkansen will run across the land of India.” Many companies are working together on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project. In Mumbai, Sumitomo Realty & Development is collaborating with the state government on station-area development
In the automotive field, where Japan excels, Maruti Suzuki—now in India for 40 years—has secured a dominant share of the Indian market. Both Suzuki and Toyota are pushing forward with new large-scale investments in India. One notable initiative is the development of vehicles compatible with biofuels, a decisive step toward decarbonization. The introduction of biofuel vehicles will generate significant demand for biofuels and contribute to the development of India’s rural areas
There is also progress toward the global market. Suzuki and Isuzu together are developing over 300,000 vehicles in India and exporting them worldwide. This truly embodies the vision of “Make in India for the World.”
Finally, cooperation in critical technologies, starting with semiconductors.
Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, India is advancing efforts to become a future hub for semiconductor manufacturing and design. Japanese companies such as Tokyo Electron, Renesas, and Fujifilm are actively contributing through local investment and collaboration
In the battery sector, just last month, a delegation of over 30 Japanese companies visited India, engaging in business matching with a total of 70 companies from both nations. Discussions toward joint ventures are already vigorous, and I greatly look forward to further progress
Beyond this, in fields such as AI, space, and clean energy, the growing Indian market is serving as a powerful engine to drive forward Japan-India cooperation. In an increasingly uncertain global economy, building a reliable partnership and resilient supply chains is essential to securing economic security and ensuring further prosperity
Discussions on concrete cooperation are already underway between our industries, and just yesterday, JETRO together with industry representatives from both countries announced a Joint Action Plan. I sincerely wish to advance such initiatives grounded in the unwavering friendship and trust between Japan and India
As I have outlined, vast opportunities for growth lie ahead between us. The driving force to turn this potential into reality is, needless to say, the members of our business communities. Together with the Government of India, the Government of Japan will firmly support your endeavors.
Thank you very much. Dhanyavaad