Embassy of Japan in India :Japan Calling - Special Edtion : Japan India Friendship Year 2007

I am delighted with the opening of the Japan Year in India, 2007. The Executive Committee for Japan-India Friendship Year comprises of those who have close contacts with India, including representatives of private firms and public-service corporations, as well as persons related to the cultural field. The Committee has performed several functions, such as coordination of various events in the Friendship Year, promotion of its own events, endorsement of events organized by private organizations, dissemination of information, etc. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to those who have supported and cooperated with the activities of the Committee.

As you are well aware, India has achieved a high rate of economic growth in recent years and is now attracting the keen attention of Japanese industry. I have visited India five times since I assumed the Chairmanship of the Japan-India Economic Committee in November 2003. Each time I have been impressed by the development of economic relations between Japan and India. Our economies are highly complementary to each other. Japan has an advantage in hardware, on the one hand, while India is well known for its software expertise, on the other. I am certain that India will become a big business partner for Japan in the near future.

In addition to close political and economic relations, however, a real partnership is based on an exchange of people and culture. Deep mutual understanding through people-to-people exchange will lead to establishing a more solid and lasting partnership. In 2005, the number of visits between Japan and India was thirty-five times less than that of Japan and China. This number vividly demonstrates that people-to-people contacts between our two countries have a large potential to be realized.

With a view to further strengthening our bilateral relations, the negotiation of an Economic Partnership Agreement has just commenced this year. It is my sincere hope that people-to-people contacts and cultural exchange will be equally promoted, so that our relations will stand firmly on solid ground. I would like to seek your support and cooperation in making this Friendship Year as meaningful and fruitful as we can.