Ahead of his visit to India, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he looked forward to witness for himself the ‘tremendous dynamism’ of the country, while hoping for ‘frank’ discussions on a ‘free and open’ Indo-Pacific with PM Narendra Modi.
Writing for the Indian Express, Kishida said that his visit to India was his first bilateral one since being appointed the Prime Minister of Japan. “Linked by universal values such as freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, which have been shared through a long history of exchange, Japan and India are “Special Strategic and Global Partners,” which share strategic interests,” he said, adding that it was a milestone year, marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and India.
“I am dearly looking forward to this visit, the first by a serving Prime Minister of Japan in four and a half years, and to be able to feel for myself the tremendous dynamism of India,” he said.
Kishida said that since his appointment as Prime Minister in October last year, he had been concentrating on measures to overcome Covid-19, and had worked towards the realisation of a “new form of capitalism” that would revive the economy through a virtuous cycle of growth and distribution.
“As part of such measures, I am focusing on finding solutions to various social challenges, including digital, climate change and economic security in the growth strategy. India is certainly the best partner to have when seeking to realise a “new form of capitalism,” as showcased in India’s contribution in response to the global health crisis as a major manufacturing base, leadership in decarbonisation efforts, including through the International Solar Alliance, engagement in advanced digital society initiatives such as Aadhaar, and the promotion of economic security initiatives, including measures for supply chain resilience,” he said. According to the leader, these reasons were why he was hoping to visit India as soon as possible after his appointment as Prime Minister.
Kishida said further that the international community currently faces a situation “that is undermining the very foundation of the global order”.
The Japan PM said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a clear violation of international law as well as an attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force, and called it ‘totally unacceptable’.
“Upholding the core principles of the international order is indispensable from the perspective of diplomacy and security in the Indo-Pacific, where the situation has been rapidly worsening. Japan will unite with the international community and take resolute actions,” Kishida said.
The leader also mentioned the recent Japan-Australia-India-US (Quad) Leaders’ Video Conference. “…in which Prime Minister Modi and I participated, we concurred that any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force, such as this time, must not be tolerated in the Indo-Pacific region, and that it is precisely because of this situation that it is critical to further promote efforts toward the realisation of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”,” he said.
Kishida posed a series of questions referring to the current situation: “Against this backdrop, how can we protect the rules-based international order? Looking towards a post-Covid-19 world, how can we build resilient supply chains and reinvigorate the economy? How can we reform international organisations to match the realities of a rapidly changing world? How can we respond to new international challenges like cybersecurity and climate change?”
He said both Japan and India are committed to taking bold measures to tackle such challenges. “During this visit I am looking forward to engaging with Prime Minister Modi in a frank exchange of opinions on how to crystallise the vision for a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” based on the rule of law, while deepening discussions on the above-mentioned themes,” he said.
Kishida said that seventy years after diplomatic relations were established, India had built a metro system built with the support of Japanese official development assistance (ODA), which is in operation, cars built by Japanese companies which ran on the streets, and a high-speed rail set to make its debut in the future.
While acknowledging the challenges amid the Covid-19 situation, he said people-to-people exchanges between the two countries were also being advanced.
“Cooperation has also taken great strides in the area of security, including joint exercises between the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the Indian Armed Forces. Cooperation is also rapidly developing between Japan, Australia, India and the United States, four countries that share fundamental values, and the next leaders’ summit is under coordination, in which Prime Minister Modi will also participate,” he said.
According to the Japan PM, as the name “Special Strategic and Global Partnership” suggested, Japan-India relations had evolved into an inclusive and multi-layered relationship based on cultural bonds, firm friendship, and common universal values. “I sincerely hope that my visit to India will open a new chapter in bilateral relations that will deepen the “Japan-India Special Strategic, and Global Partnership” even further. I am looking forward to meeting the people of India,” he said.
Read the Latest News and Breaking News here
Comments
0 comment