Varanasi (UP), Aug 21 (PTI) A high-level 109-member Japanese delegation will arrive in the spiritual city of Kashi on a two-day visit on August 22.
Led by the governor of Japan’s Yamanashi Prefecture, the delegation will include several senior officials and CEOs of leading Japanese companies.
The visit is expected to open up new avenues for investment in Uttar Pradesh while also giving fresh momentum to tourism and cultural exchanges.
The Japanese delegation will visit Sarnath, the site where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon, witness the world-famous Ganga Aarti and experience the art and culture of Kashi. The visitors will also get a glimpse of the city’s centuries-old spiritual, cultural and handicraft traditions, the UP government said in a statement.
After arriving in Varanasi in the afternoon of August 22, the Japanese delegation will visit Sarnath, the sacred land associated with Lord Buddha and recently included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The delegation will then witness the Ganga Aarti at Namo Ghat.
On August 23, some key members of the delegation will visit Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
Uttar Pradesh is moving towards its goal of becoming a USD 1 trillion economy through strong law and order, improved infrastructure, investor-friendly industrial policies, ease of doing business and a single-window system.
The Japanese delegation’s visit aims to promote investment and industrial cooperation in Uttar Pradesh and explore opportunities for collaboration in sectors including hydrogen and clean energy, semiconductors, electronics, automobiles, infrastructure, tourism and human resource development.
The visit is expected to be significant not only in showcasing UP’s rich cultural heritage to the world, but also in further strengthening industrial cooperation, technology transfer, skill development and friendly relations between India and Japan, particularly between Uttar Pradesh and Yamanashi Prefecture.
To introduce Japanese guests to Kashi’s centuries-old handicraft traditions, stalls showcasing ‘One District One Product (ODOP)’ and ‘Geographical Indication (GI)’ products will be set up.
These will include Kashi’s renowned Gulabi Meenakari, soft stone carving, wooden lacquerware and toys, Banarasi silk sarees, along with other local handicraft products.
The Japanese delegation’s visit to Kashi is expected to go beyond investment and industrial cooperation and add a new cultural dimension to the enduring relationship between India and Japan, the statement said. PTI NAV MPL MPL
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