Bhubaneswar, May 21: The Consul General of Japan, ISHIKAWA Yoshihisa, met Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg on Thursday at Lok Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar to discuss measures to strengthen collaboration between Odisha and Japan across multiple sectors.

The discussions are part of the Government of Odisha's ongoing efforts to establish a formal Friendship Agreement with Japan’s Tottori Prefecture. The agreement aims to promote cooperation in industrial development, skill enhancement, tourism, culture, youth engagement, and people-to-people exchanges.

The meeting followed a prior discussion between Odisha Chief Minister and the Japanese Consul General in Kolkata on May 20. During Thursday’s session, Additional Chief Secretary Hemant Sharma, overseeing Home, Industries, and I&PR departments, also participated.

Key points of the meeting included the proposed Friendship Agreement with Tottori Prefecture and strategies to deepen bilateral cooperation in mutually beneficial areas. The draft agreement envisions collaboration in economic development, industry, tourism, cultural exchange, youth and student mobility, personnel exchange, and environmental initiatives.

Both sides also discussed organizing a coordination meeting involving the Government of Odisha, the Embassy of India in Tokyo, and the Tottori Prefectural Government to finalize the modalities and timelines of the partnership.

Odisha highlighted its expanding industrial ecosystem and emerging opportunities in advanced manufacturing, skill development, tourism, and cultural sectors. Additional discussions explored cooperation in Japanese language training, student and faculty exchanges, tourism promotion—particularly along the Buddhist circuit—sports collaboration, and industry linkages.

The proposed Odisha–Tottori partnership is envisioned as a significant step in enhancing Odisha’s engagement with Japan, fostering long-term collaboration in economic, cultural, educational, and industrial domains.