Nagpur, March 10 Minister of Political Affairs at the Japanese Embassy in New Delhi, Noriaki Abe, on Tuesday called the United States of America an ally of Japan, and said that his country's need for cooperation with the US has been increasing due to the deteriorating security situation.
He also said that the Japan-US alliance is a lifeline for deterrence and response to any emergency situations in Japan's territory and in its vicinity.
Abe was interacting with the students of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Nagpur at its Indo-Japan Research Center (IJRC) during his visit to the institute.
IIM Nagpur's IJRC is one of the few dedicated academic centers in the country focused on translating the India-Japan strategic partnership into actionable research and cross-cultural corporate leadership.
Responding to a question by a student about Japan's leadership emphasizing a strong alliance with the Donald Trump administration, Abe said, "Japan has one ally, which is the United States. Our bilateral alliance is the key for the survival of our country. I have to be very honest and straightforward. The Japan-US alliance is a lifeline for deterrence and also for response to any emergency situations in our territory and in the vicinity."
"So we – most of the Japanese people – think that the alliance with the United States has an advantage for the security and prosperity of Japan as well as the region...Sometimes a bilateral relationship has some friction, like trade and negotiations and the security posture under the alliance. But we try to find a mutual solution to every single challenge. So, Japan was one of the first countries that completed a trade agreement with the US and the Trump administration," Abe said.
"The necessity to cooperate with the United States has been increasing because...in proportion to the deteriorating security situation," he added.
Japan seeks a better relationship with China through dialogues and conversations. But China does not necessarily respond to our request to solve the problem through dialogues and conversations, he said.
Japan's position is firm that any unnatural attempt to change the status quo shall not be allowed. So the message is very loud and clear to any countries that pose a security threat to Japan, he added.
India has just hosted the AI Impact Summit in Delhi, he said, adding that Japan and India are committed to enhancing cooperation in the AI sector involving business sectors. Besides, semiconductors are becoming a shining example of bilateral relations.
Abe also said that with Japan's average age standing at 44 years and India's at just 22, a golden door of opportunity is opening for young Indians looking to build global careers.
Japan has successfully achieved its recent 5-trillion-yen investment target in India and has now boldly upscaled the goal to 10-trillion-yen in private investment, he said.
"This 10-trillion-yen target is not just a number on a screen. It represents thousands of new businesses, startups, and high-paying career opportunities for Indian professionals in the coming years. So, where are these jobs opening up?" he said, outlining specific areas of expansion by moving beyond traditional manufacturing.
Through newly-launched frameworks like the 'AI Cooperation Initiative (JAI)' and 'Digital Partnership 2.0', Japan is aggressively seeking Indian talent and collaboration in booming emerging fields such as AI, semiconductors, space exploration, and clean energy, Abe said.
He also called Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Japan for the 15th Annual Summit a historic milestone.
The recent summit resulted in over 170 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed by private entities, directly paving the way for corporate hiring and collaboration, he said.
"Japan's corporate culture is undergoing structural changes, making it much more welcoming for Indian youth," Abe said.
Echoing PM Modi's sentiment from the recent summit, he affirmed that these agreements have laid a "strong foundation for a new golden chapter" between the two nations.
Abe also praised IIM Nagpur and the IJRC for playing a valuable role in building these bridges and preparing students to take advantage of these global shifts.