New Delhi [India], January 20 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on January 19, 2025, in Washington DC.
This assembly marked the second face-to-face dialogue between the 2 officers, following their earlier interplay throughout the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Italy in November 2024, an official press launch by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
“Good to meet with FM Takeshi Iwaya of Japan. Reviewed the progress in our bilateral cooperation. Also discussed developments pertaining to Quad,” EAM Jaishankar posted on X.
During their bilateral talks, each Ministers centered on strengthening cooperation in a number of key areas, together with political, safety, financial, technological, and people-to-people exchanges. They expressed satisfaction with the present tempo and breadth of collaboration, recognising the significance of sustaining common strategic communication.
This will probably be facilitated via mechanisms just like the Strategic Dialogue and the 22 Dialogue of Foreign and Defence Ministers. Minister Jaishankar prolonged an invite for Minister Iwaya to go to India, additional bolstering bilateral ties.
A significant spotlight of the assembly was the announcement of the India-Japan Year of Science, Technology, and Innovation, marking the fortieth anniversary of the Memorandum of Understanding on ScienceTechnology cooperation signed in 1985.
Both Ministers emphasised the importance of this milestone within the historical past of India-Japan relations, reaffirming their dedication to advancing mutual efforts in these fields over the subsequent yr, the press launch said.
They additionally mentioned the continued significance of people-to-people exchanges, with a deal with areas corresponding to know-how, schooling, and ability improvement, that are anticipated to additional cement the friendship between the 2 nations.
The assembly underscored the deep and enduring relationship between India and Japan, rooted in mutual belief, shared democratic values, and a standard dedication to regional peace and stability. The sturdy partnership between the 2 international locations extends past governmental ties to cultural and civilizational exchanges which have formed their historical past. For occasion, Japan’s non secular and cultural connections with India hint again to historical instances, together with the consecration of the Buddha statue in Nara by the Indian monk Bodhisena in 752 AD.
Indian figures corresponding to Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose have additionally performed important roles in strengthening this bond.
In latest years, the Indian group in Japan has been rising, notably with the arrival of IT professionals and engineers. Over 40,000 Indians now stay in Japan, with a considerable variety of college students pursuing larger schooling, together with doctoral programs.
The Nishikasai space of Tokyo has emerged as a focus for the Indian group, and the institution of a number of Indian colleges displays the growing demand for academic assets. (ANI)