Manipur seeks Japan envoy’s support for devp.

IMPHAL, NOVEMBER 23: During his visit to Manipur, Ambassador of Japan to India Kenji Hiramatsu has assured Manipur Governor Dr Najma A Heptulla “to explore possibilities to extend support to clean up the Loktak Lake using Japanes technology.” Ambassador Hiramatsu mentioned that Japan was also looking forward to enhanced cooperation with India ‘specially with Manipur’ in various fields such as education, sports, arts and culture, according to a press release from Raj Bhavan at Imphal. The Japanese envoy called on Governor Dr Heptulla on Monday. Japan can arrange to send trainers to Manipur to train sportspersons from the state, he said. Inviting Dr Heptulla to Tokyo during the Cherry Blossom Festival, he said that Japan can arrange trainers for Manipur sportspersons besides sportspersons from the state can visit Japan to receive training. The discussions also underlined Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Look East Policy and his recent visit to Tokyo as an event that strengthened the ties between the two countries. People-to-people contact can further cement the historical relations between India and Japan. Governor Dr Heptulla sought cooperation in the task to clean Loktak, the largest fresh water lake in the north east region using Japanese technology. The governor, who availed the opportunity to discuss a number of issues pertaining to the state, also sought cooperation in developing eco-friendly tourism, commercial cultivation of orchids, developing cherry blossom gardens in the state, and to increase sports and cultural exchanges between Japan and Manipur. The Japanese ambassador, who was accompanied by his wife and other embassy officials, also attended the inaugural function of the ongoing annual tourism festival Manipurt Sangai festival.