Nagaland government delegation in Japan to forge strategic partnerships

DIMAPUR — A high-level delegation from Nagaland, led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, is currently on an official visit to Japan to explore avenues for collaboration, investment, and developmental partnerships.

A press release issued by the Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN) on Saturday stated that the visit aims to strengthen ties with various stakeholders including government bodies, private corporations, and civil society organisations in Japan.

The delegation comprises key officials including Abu Metha, Chairman of IDAN; Hekani Jakhalu, Advisor for Industries & Commerce; Kumar Ramnikant, Commissioner & Secretary, Industries & Commerce; and other senior officers.

Ahead of the chief minister’s scheduled meetings, IDAN and the Department of Industries & Commerce held a series of high-level meetings in Tokyo, led by Metha and 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),” it stated.

Key focus areas of their discussions included collaboration in human resource development across sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, hospitality, tourism, arts and culture, sports, and the creative industries including film.

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“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.

“Abu 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,” it added.

Also, JICA expressed strong interest in expanding its human resource exchange programmes by aligning Japanese industry demands with the talent pool available in India. The Nagaland delegation acknowledged JICA’s ongoing efforts in the region and discussed avenues for enhanced cooperation.

With NYK Line, discussions revolved around expanding the company's engagement in Nagaland, particularly through employment generation and capacity-building in the hospitality and services sectors.

The delegation also visited Kochi Prefecture, where detailed deliberations were held on joint initiatives in food processing, agriculture, skill enhancement, and technology transfer. Discussions also explored the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the government of Nagaland and the government of Kochi Prefecture.

Nagaland’s high literacy rate, English proficiency, and newly launched Industrial Policy were presented as strengths to attract investment and build sustainable partnerships.

These meetings set the stage for the chief minister’s official engagements in Japan, where discussions are expected to be further formalised and advanced.