Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani who left for 6-day Israel tour today in his first foreign visit may next visit Japan in the month of September this year. Chief Secretary Dr. JN Singh speaking at a function at Ahmedabad Management Association(AMA) here today evening said the Chief Minister would like to visit Hyogo province in Japan to attend a festival there in the month of September.

Speaking in felicitation function of Indian Ambassador to Japan Mr. Sujan Chinoy, the Chief Secretary in reference to relations between Hyogo prefecture and Gujarat State built by then Chief Minister of Gujarat and current Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi said, ‘there’s a festival in September in Hyogo and our Chief Minister would like to visit that.’

The Chief Secretary took note of decades old students exchange programme between Gujarat University and Japan based Ottoman Gaikun University and how this relation laid foundation of Gujarat – Japan relations. He gave example of three exchange students who went to Japan and later became pillar stone for Gujarat – Japan friendship (Ambassador Chinoy himself, Indo – Japan Friendship Association’s Gujarat head Mukesh Patel and banker Mayur Shah). The Chief Secretary also took note of Buddhist link between India and Japan. He also spoke about then Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s contribution in Gujarat – Japan friendship.

Dr. JN Singh observed, ‘we here take decisions very fast but in Japan they take very long time to come to a decision. But once they arrive at decision they would stick to it. Suzuki explored many places but ultimately decided to set up its car manufacturing unit here in Gujarat. There was first unit, then second unit and now third unit. This is going to be the biggest unit of car manufacturing in the world. As we supported them strongly, they gained confidence. Last year there was huge rainfall in North Gujarat which is generally an arid region. There was apprehension that flood water would enter the Maruti Suzuki plant, and then the would think why did we choose to go to Gujarat! We put special engineers there with suction plant and motors to pump out the water in order to see that rain water don’t enter the plant.’

Dr. Singh said, ‘yesterday we had a meeting to review the Memorandums of Understanding(MoUs) and we could see that large number of Indian ownership companies here are ancillaries of Suzuki plant. Our Gujarati engineers, workers, labourers not just get employment directly thanks to this but indirectly also. Lots of MoUs have been signed. I would like to request once again that somebody review those MoUs from Japanese side.’

In context of China, the Chief Secretary said, ‘You can’t choose your neighbour or parent, both of us have very big neighbour that makes us come to gather.’

Maruti Suzuki, yesterday we hada a meeting of MoUs review, we could see that large number of Indian ownership companies here are ancillaries of Suzuki plant. Our Gujarati engineers, workers, labour directly but indirectly also. Lots of MoUs have been signed. I would like once against request somebody that MoU, take the review of those MoUs. Somebody from Japanese side to move further in that direction. You can’t choose neighbour or parent, both of us have very big neighbour that makes us come together.

DeshGuuarat