Japan’s Ambassador to India Ono Keiichi on Wednesday said that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s upcoming visit to New Delhi is expected to significantly strengthen people-to-people ties between India and Japan, describing it as a key opportunity to deepen engagement between the two countries. The remarks were made during the Japan Session of the Human Resource Mobility Forum organised by the Ministry of External Affairs.

The envoy said the visit would help advance exchanges in education, skills, and workforce mobility, which he described as a foundation for the broader strategic partnership between the two nations. The forum highlighted emerging areas of collaboration in skill-based mobility, reflecting growing efforts to align workforce development between India and Japan.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, discussions at the forum focused on expanding cooperation in human resource mobility and creating new pathways for skilled professionals. Officials noted that strengthening such linkages is central to enhancing bilateral economic and strategic relations.

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Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi later on Wednesday for a three-day official visit, during which she will participate in the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit. The visit marks her first official trip to India since assuming office and is expected to include high-level discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ahead of her visit, Takaichi emphasised the importance of strengthening cooperation between India and Japan in the current global context. She said discussions would focus on economic security, investment, innovation, and expanding collaboration between businesses from both countries, with participation from more than 150 Japanese companies at a joint economic forum.

She also underlined the shared responsibility of India and Japan in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, expressing support for advancing the vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific and cooperation within frameworks such as the Quad. The visit is expected to further consolidate strategic, economic, and diplomatic ties between the two nations.

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