Japan seeks ties with values that do not match China’s

Here during his first visit as the re-elected foreign minister of Japan, Japan’s foreign minister Fumio Kishida said Tokyo wants to inaugurate a new Indo-Pacific relationship. He also wants to deepen ties with India – it is on values that won’t match China.

Here during his first visit as the re-elected foreign minister of Japan, Japan’s foreign minister Fumio Kishida said Tokyo wants to inaugurate a new Indo-Pacific relationship. He also wants to deepen ties with India – it is on values that won’t match China.

Japanese-foreign-minister-Fumio-Kishida-shakes-hand-with-Indian-foreign-minister-Sushma-Swaraj-AP-File-Photo

In a lecture, Kishida said this was his first visit after re-election because there was a special relationship between Delhi and Tokyo. He proposed three bridges that link the two nations. The first was ‘values and spirits’ – which included democracy, freedom, open economy and the rule of law; a vibrant economy; and open and stable seas; and global issues like UNSC reform and terrorism.

EAM Sushma Swaraj had extensive discussions with Kishida. Swaraj welcomed the spurt of 15 percent additional Japanese investment coming during the past year. She also said Japan is a key partner in the Make in India campaign. Kishida said that India was viewed as the ‘moot promising destination’. “India is now viewed as the most promising destination by Japanese companies.”

They reviewed the infrastructure like Dedicated Freight Corridor and High Speed Rail between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. They agreed to deepen political and security ties, reviewed progress on US-2 Amphibian Aircraft, and discussed issues like UNSC reform, Indo Pacific region, and Afghanistan.