Tokyo [Japan] January 22 : After winding up the visit to Seoul for the first leg of the Advantage Assam 2.0 Roadshow, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma reached Tokyo, to take forward the Advantage Assam Roadshow.
Chief Minister Sarma began his day by paying tributes to the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi at Edogawa where he was accorded a warm reception by the Assamese diaspora with whom he had a heartful interaction and savoured homemade Assamese delicacies, as per a press release from Assam Chief Minister's Office.
Himanta Biswa Sarma thereafter began his official engagements for the day by addressing the Advantage Assam Roadshow amidst attendance of 160 business leaders.
Sharing a post on X, he wrote, "Had a very engaging Day 1 in Japan where I had meetings with over 160 industry leaders and outlined our vision of Simplicity, Transparency, Efficiency and Effective Policy to attract investments into Assam."
https://x.com/himantabiswa/status/1882051471270920400
Sarma also shared details of his meeting with Kazuo Ofuchi, Managing Executive Officer of Konoike Transport and stated that he invited the company to participate in Advantage Assam 2.0 and explore investment opportunities in the state's healthcare sector.
Highlighting Assam's focus on public health infrastructure, he emphasised plans to construct 23 new medical colleges and hospitals.
In another post, he wrote, "Just concluded a good discussion with Mr Kazuo Ofuchi San, the Managing Executive Officer of @konoike_pr, I have invited them join us at #AdvantageAssam2 and explore opportunities in Assam's rapidly growing health sector. Our focus on expanding public health care involves constructing 23 new medical colleges and hospitals, a comprehensive health insurance plan and trained medical and nursing workforce."
https://x.com/himantabiswa/status/1882031604337344812
The Chief Minister highlighted the close Indo-Japan ties and Japan's continued support in a host of projects ongoing in Assam in the fields of urban development, infrastructure, healthcare, manpower among others.
He underlined Assam's willingness to set up a dedicated Japanese Business Park in the State to host industries from the country and talked in length about the USD 3 billion PLI on offer for industries to set their bases.
In his address and later in his meetings, Sarma also reiterated the Union Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's support to Assam's ambitions of being a premier industrial state to ensure holistic growth of the State, the press release stated.
He also laid down the Union Govt's special emphasis on Assam as the core of its Act East Policy. Dr Sarma held six meetings today with leaders from the semiconductor, hydrocarbon, healthcare and renewable energy sectors.
The Chief Minister began his bilateral interactions with a meeting with Koga Yuichiro, Hon'ble State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Govt of Japan to discuss Japan's role in skilling Assam's youths.
He also met Kazuya Nakajo, Executive Vice President of Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) to discuss increasing ways to bolster trade and commerce ties between Assam and Japan. His next interaction was with Hirohide Hirai, Vice President of Hitachi where the Chief Minister outlined the opportunities for Hitachi to invest in Assam's expanding renewable energy sector.
Earlier this week, CM Sarma concluded the first phase of his International Roadshow in South Korea for Advantage Assam 2.0. He had multiple productive meetings with stakeholders in sectors like renewable energy, semiconductors, and small and medium enterprises.