Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government Wednesday signed a friendship agreement with Japan’s Tottori Prefecture to strengthen cooperation in economic development, tourism, culture and people-to-people exchanges, officials said.
The agreement was signed by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Tottori Governor Shinji Hirai at a programme in Bhubaneswar attended by senior officials from both regions.
Around 80 Japanese delegates representing industries, technical institutions, banking and financial institutions, and trade and commerce attended the event.
Describing the agreement as an important milestone, Majhi said it would bring the people, institutions and communities of Odisha and Tottori closer and open new avenues for economic and cultural cooperation.
India and Japan shared a longstanding friendship rooted in trust, mutual respect and common civilisational ties, and the partnership between Odisha and Tottori would add a new dimension to these relations, he said.
The chief minister invited Japanese businesses to explore investment opportunities in Odisha’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), startups, industrial clusters and skilled workforce.
He said the partnership should translate into tangible outcomes, including business collaborations, employment opportunities, student exchanges, tourism and cultural connections.
Majhi also highlighted the presence of several established Japanese companies in Odisha, including Indo Nissin, Nippon Steel, JFE Steel, Krosaki, TYK, Yokohama, IHI and Toray.
Hirai expressed his commitment to strengthening ties between the two regions through economic cooperation, cultural exchanges and closer engagement between businesses and people.
He also highlighted the potential for expanding collaboration and creating new avenues for mutual growth.
Odisha Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain said the partnership would strengthen industrial cooperation, technology exchange and investment linkages while advancing skill development and technical education.
Through the World Skill Centre partnership, we aim to provide industry-aligned vocational training in manufacturing and nursing care, supported by Japanese-language training, creating global employment pathways for our youth, he said.
MSME Minister Gokulananda Mallik highlighted the potential for enterprises and startups in Odisha to develop business relationships with Tottori through technology partnerships, joint product development, manufacturing linkages, market access and exchange of business practices.
The event also witnessed the signing of two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between institutions from the two regions to promote startup collaboration, business linkages and human resource development.
The first MoU was exchanged between Startup Odisha and the Director of Industries, Tottori Prefecture, to facilitate business matchmaking, startup exchanges, accelerator programmes, mentoring and stronger connections between enterprises and investors.
The second agreement was signed between the World Skill Centre in Bhubaneswar and Tottori Prefecture, involving Nihon Edutech, to promote human resource development and create opportunities for skilled youths from Odisha to gain international exposure and access employment in Japan.