Prime Minister Modi has commenced his two-day visit to Japan at the invitation of his counterpart, Shigeru Ishiba, to attend the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit. Deeming the visit a profound opportunity to strengthen regional and global presence and security, he departed for Japan earlier today and has arrived in the country for his first standalone visit to Japan in seven years.

Upon his arrival in Japan, members of the Indian diaspora gathered in Tokyo to welcome him, while Japanese artists prepared cultural performances for the occasion. The summit that will soon ensue will focus on deepening and streamlining new economic and investment partnerships, while also enhancing cultural ties between the two nations.

What’s on the Agenda?

PM Modi announced his departure earlier today, stating that a key agenda of his visit to Japan would be fostering a special strategic and global partnership, saying it has made progress over 11 years.

PM Modi also spoke about economic and investment ties, stating that artificial intelligence and semiconductors would be technologies both countries can advance through cooperation.

As per analyst reports from Bloomberg, PM Modi may secure investment pledges worth $68 billion during the two-day visit. These will include an economic security pact focusing on semiconductors, critical minerals, and AI, which may also be signed, the publication reported.

Shinkansen Bullet Train

It was earlier reported that India and Japan may ink a deal for the manufacturing of next-generation E10 Shinkansen bullet trains in India. An announcement regarding the new Shinkansen bullet trains is likely to be made during PM Modi’s visit to the country.

Apart from PM Shigeru, PM Modi will also be meeting the governors of different prefectures of Japan.