A high-level delegation from the Government of Nagaland is currently on an official visit to Japan to explore avenues for collaborations, partnerships, and developmental initiatives with a wide range of stakeholders, including government bodies, private corporations, and civil society organisations. The delegation is led by the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Dr. Neiphiu Rio, and includes Chairman Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN), Abu Metha, Advisor Industries & Commerce, Hekani Jakhalu, Commission & Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Kumar Ramnikant and other senior officers.
Ahead of the Chief Minister’s arrival, the Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN) and the Department of Industries & Commerce have conducted a series of high-level meetings in Tokyo on 4th July 2025. The meetings were led by Abu Metha and Hekani Jakhalu.
Building on the strong historical and cultural ties between Nagaland and Japan—particularly through shared World War II heritage and ongoing people-to-people engagements—the delegation held fruitful discussions with key organisations including Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line), the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF), Konnekt Asia, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The deliberations covered a wide range of collaborative opportunities, particularly in the fields of human resource development across sectors such as agriculture and allied services, hospitality, healthcare, tourism, arts and culture, sports, and film.
The Sasakawa Peace Foundation shared insights into its ongoing projects in the North Eastern States of India, with a focus on people-to-people contact, Track Two diplomacy, peacebuilding, and knowledge exchange. Metha emphasised the shared wartime legacy between Japan and Nagaland and highlighted the importance of transforming the painful memories of war into constructive partnerships for peace and cooperation.
JICA expressed interest in expanding human resource exchange programmes by linking Japanese industry requirements with Indian talent pools. The Chairman of IDAN conveyed appreciation for JICA’s ongoing work in Nagaland and discussed potential areas of further collaboration.
With NYK Line, discussions centred on the company’s contributions to Nagaland and the scope for expanding engagements, particularly in the services and hospitality sector, to generate employment and capacity-building opportunities for the youth.
The delegation also visited Kochi Prefecture, where detailed deliberations were held on joint initiatives related to human resource development, skill enhancement, capacity building, and technology transfer in sectors such as food processing, agriculture, and allied industries. The teams explored the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of Nagaland and the Government of Kochi, a Japanese Prefecture.
Nagaland’s high literacy rate, English proficiency, and strong social and cultural capital were highlighted as key strengths. The State Government also presented its new Industrial Policy, which offers incentives and a conducive environment for investment and responsible business practices.
These exploratory meetings serve as a foundation for the official engagements scheduled during the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s visit to Japan, where the discussions are expected to be further consolidated and formalised.
(DIPR)
