Lucknow: Japan's Ambassador to India Ono Keiichi paid a courtesy call on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday. During this, meaningful discussions were held on further expanding cooperation between Uttar Pradesh and Japan in the fields of investment, advanced technology, semiconductor, human resource development, skill training, employment and tourism. The Chief Minister said that Uttar Pradesh is ready to take its economic and industrial relations with Japan to new heights. There are wide opportunities available for Japanese investors in the state, from MSMEs to big industries, and with mutual cooperation from both sides, these possibilities can be converted into concrete results.
During the meeting, there was a special discussion regarding India-Japan cooperation in the semiconductor sector. The Japanese side informed that during the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi to India in July 2026, semiconductor has been included in the five priority areas of Japan-India economic security cooperation. In this sequence, a team from Japanese industry will visit HCL Technologies along with Semicon India in mid-September. The possibilities of participation by the Uttar Pradesh Government in the meeting of the Semiconductor Committee of Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry were also discussed. The Japanese side talked about its team visiting Uttar Pradesh to study the possibilities in the semiconductor sector. The Chief Minister said that there is immense scope for cooperation between the technical expertise of Japan and the industrial capacity of Uttar Pradesh in this important area of advanced technology.
The Chief Minister said that there are vast opportunities for Japanese companies to invest in Uttar Pradesh. Investors from Japan ranging from MSME to big industries are welcome. The state's huge market, better connectivity, strong industrial base and rapidly developing infrastructure are providing a favorable environment for Japanese companies. Japan City in Noida is an important center of this partnership. There is even greater investment potential due to the major industrial clusters and excellent connectivity around it. Japanese companies like Yamaha, Denso, NTT Data, Toyo Inc. and Panasonic have established their presence in Uttar Pradesh. Kubota is also working on manufacturing tractors and construction machinery near Japan City. There was also discussion on further expanding Japanese investment in the state with the cooperation of JETRO and Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
It was also considered to further strengthen cooperation between Uttar Pradesh and Japan in the field of human resource development. The Chief Minister said that Uttar Pradesh has a large number of young human resources and their skill development can be taken forward as per the needs of Japanese industries. Through Japan's technical training program and specific skilled labor program, the youth of the state are getting opportunities to work in Japan and gain international work experience. Both sides discussed the possibilities of cooperation in the development of such skill development centers, where youth can be given technical and employment training as per the needs of Japanese industries. This will help in directly linking skill development with employment opportunities.
There was also discussion on preparing the youth of Uttar Pradesh for employment opportunities available in Japan in sectors like manufacturing, agriculture and nursing care. In this sequence, in March, RB of Agra. Mentioned about the job fair organized in PG College for employment opportunities in Japan in agriculture sector. The agreement between Amity University and Ibaraki Prefecture of Japan to develop internship and training opportunities for students was also described as an important initiative in the growing human resource cooperation between the two countries. By combining Japanese language, technical skills and industry-based training, employment opportunities in Japan can be further expanded for youth.
Important discussions were also held regarding cooperation in the field of tourism. The Japanese side requested the participation of Uttar Pradesh in the Tourism Expo Japan 2026 to be held in September. The Chief Minister agreed to participate in it on behalf of Uttar Pradesh. Both sides considered this event as an important opportunity to present the tourist destinations of Uttar Pradesh to Japanese tourists and tourism industry and to increase tourism exchange between the two countries. 2.19 lakh Japanese citizens visited India in the year 2025, which is 12.5 percent more than the previous year. The Buddhist, spiritual, cultural and heritage tourism destinations of Uttar Pradesh have immense potential for Japanese tourists.
In the meeting, the shared Buddhist and cultural heritage between India and Japan was highlighted as an important link in tourism cooperation. The Buddhist and cultural ties between Sarnath and Nara of Japan reflect the historical association of the two countries. The year 2027 will complete 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan. The occasion was seen as an opportunity to further strengthen tourism, culture and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
It is noteworthy that currently a team of more than 200 representatives of Japanese industry is on a visit to Uttar Pradesh in connection with the Uttar Pradesh-Japan investment meeting. Dialogue with Japanese investors in various fields has resulted in several MoUs. These investment proposals are likely to create approximately 10 thousand employment opportunities.
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