Industry Odisha Bureau,Sep 11: A Japanese delegation visited Kolkata for trade talks. Discussions covered direct flights, business facilitation and investment. A cultural festival will mark 75 years of ties in 2027.
A seven-member Japanese delegation visited Kolkata for high-level talks. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ayano Kunimitsu led the group. They met West Bengal Industry and Commerce Minister Tapas Roy. Discussions spanned trade, direct air connectivity and investment. The visit comes ahead of 2027, marking 75 years of India-Japan relations.
Kolkata-Japan Direct Flights Discussed
Direct air connectivity between Kolkata and Japan featured prominently. Both sides discussed establishing direct flights. No airline or route has been confirmed. No launch date was mentioned in the talks. Still, improved connectivity could ease business and cultural travel. It may also support tourism and investor engagement over time. These remain preliminary discussions, not firm commitments.
Japanese Companies Seek Easier Business Environment
Delegation members pressed for a “hassle-free” operating environment. They sought a single-window system for resolving problems. Roy said Bengal had long worked toward such a system. He assured the delegation of a conducive business climate. This exchange signals investor-relations concerns rather than policy shifts already made. No regulatory reform was confirmed as complete.
Mitsubishi Scouts For Land In Bengal
Japanese multinational Mitsubishi is separately scouting land in the state. A Mitsubishi delegation recently visited and met Roy. “We have raised the issue with the Japanese minister,” Roy said. The minister will discuss it further after returning to Japan. Roy added that Japan would send more companies to explore investments. No land deal or investment figure has been finalised. This differs from Mitsubishi Chemical, whose earlier exit from Bengal was also referenced. Roy tied that episode to the need for stable investment conditions, applicable to domestic and foreign investors alike.
Renewable Energy And Investment Talks
Renewable energy also came up during the discussions. No specific projects or capacities were detailed. The inclusion suggests the engagement extends beyond traditional manufacturing interests.
Indo-Japan Festival Planned For 2027
India and Japan will mark 75 years of bilateral relations in 2027. West Bengal plans a cultural festival to coincide with the anniversary. It will feature food from both Bengal and Japan. Animation and other cultural exchanges are also planned. “We both expressed a keen interest in celebrating this jointly,” Roy said. Japan’s Consul-General in Kolkata, Yoshihisa Ishikawa, attended the meeting. State officials Subrata Gupta and Vandana Yadav were also present.
A Broader Commercial And Diplomatic Push
The Kolkata visit combines several strands. Air connectivity, business facilitation and investment outreach dominate the agenda. Mitsubishi’s land search adds a concrete, if unconfirmed, commercial signal. The 2027 festival provides cultural backing for deeper engagement. Together, these developments point toward closer India-Japan cooperation at the state level, though concrete outcomes remain still to unfold.
