India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held a bilateral meeting with Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Akazawa Ryosei in Tokyo to take stock of bilateral economic cooperation, including bilateral trade and investment, and discussed the need to accelerate the review of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to make it more forward-looking and responsive to emerging economic opportunities.

Currently on an official visit to Japan, the Minister addressed a roundtable on semiconductors and AI, which was attended by representatives of around 21 leading Japanese companies, including Tokyo Electron, Daifuku, Preferred Networks, ABEJA, MinebeaMitsumi, Tanaka Precious Metals Technologies, Fujifilm Holdings, Toray Industries, Nippon Express Holdings, Mizuho Financial Group, Kyocera Corporation, Fuji Electric, TOK, Air Water Inc., ROHM, Tomoegawa Corporation, MUFG Bank Ltd., NEC Corporation, Yamaya Electronics, ANA Trading and JETRO. The roundtable also saw participation from various Indian business chambers and business delegations.

Goyal met the following industry leaders in separate meetings to discuss future avenues:

1. Neuberger Berman’s Managing Director and Head of East Asia Ryo Ohira and his delegation to discuss opportunities to deepen investment linkages between India and Japan, and ways to strengthen financial and wealth management partnerships

2. Mitsui & Co’s Representative Director & Chair of the Board of Directors Tatsuo Yasunaga to discussed opportunities for cooperation across trade, energy and infrastructure

3. President & CEO of Toray Industries Mitsuo Ohya to discuss cooperation in advanced materials, technical textiles and manufacturing

4. President & CEO of IHI Corporation Hiroshi Ide to explore opportunities to advance India-Japan cooperation in aerospace, energy and industrial engineering

5. President & CEO of Kawasaki Heavy Industries Yasuhiko Hashimoto to discuss opportunities to deepen cooperation in robotics, hydrogen technology, and heavy engineering

6. President & CEO of JFE Steel Corporation Masayuki Hirose to discuss opportunities to deepen cooperation in steel and metals sector

7. Representative Director, Executive Vice President & Executive Officer at Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Hisashi Umemura to discuss opportunities for cooperation in shipping, logistics and maritime technology

8. Representative Director and Chairman & CEO of Nippon Steel Corporation Eiji Hashimoto to discuss opportunities to strengthen collaboration in steel manufacturing, technology transfer, and sustainable production

9. Toshiba Corporation’s Director and COO Koji Ikeya to discuss opportunities to deepen engagement in advanced manufacturing and technology

10. Chairman of the Japan-India Parliamentary Friendship League Yasutoshi Nishimura to discuss strengthening of parliamentary exchanges to expand economic ties

11. President & CEO of Marubeni Corporation Masayuki Omoto to discuss cooperation across sector. Marubeni, one of Japan’s leading ???????????????? ???????????????????????? (general trading companies), has an association with India that goes back over a century, with its presence dating to 1918 in infrastructure, energy, mobility, food and agriculture, metals and minerals,

12. President & COO of ITOCHU Corporation Keita Ishii to explore avenues to deepen cooperation across trade, machinery and emerging business sectors