India's Modi meets Japan's Ishiba as he begins Asia tour

 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Japanese counterpart at a Tokyo business forum on Friday as he begins a trip to Japan and China. 

Later on Friday, Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will hold talks and release a "joint vision” for cooperation over the next decade in areas including security, economy, energy and human resources. 

Modi and Ishiba are also expected to reaffirm their cooperation as part of the Quad framework of regional leaders that also include the United States and Australia, intended to counter China's growing influence. 

Both India and Japan have also both been hit by US President Donald Trump's trade and tariff measures. 

It came days after Modi met China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and hailed improving relations between the two sides, following years-long disputes over their Himalayan borders. 

The two leaders are expected to agree on a goal of boosting Japanese private sector investment in India to 10 trillion yen ($68 billion) over the next decade and increasing human resources exchanges to half a million people in the coming five years. 

India's skilled workforce to help Japan 

The two governments hope that India’s skilled, young workforce can help address labour shortages caused by Japan’s ageing and declining population. 

Modi urged Japanese companies to invest in India, saying that reforms have created more a transparent and predictable business environment. "In India’s development journey, Japan has always been an important partner,” he told the forum hosted by Japan’s powerful business lobby Keidanren. 

Modi noted Suzuki Motor Corp.’s success in his country and said Japan and India can replicate "the same magic” in batteries, robotics, semiconductors, shipbuilding and nuclear energy and contribute to the development of the so-called Global South nations and Africa. 

"Japan is a tech powerhouse and India is a talent powerhouse,” Modi said, and that together the two countries can "lead this century’s tech revolution,” in areas such as green energy, next generation mobility and logistics infrastructure. 

Ishiba said the two countries share universal values like democracy and the rule of law and that "Japan’s advanced technology and India’s outstanding talent, as well as its large market, are complementing each other to a dramatic expansion of our economic ties.” 

He emphasized the importance of expanding their cooperation from the Indian Ocean to Africa and Europe.

Associated Press