‘Guj has potential to become India’s growth engine’

The Japanese delegation,led by noted economist and politician Heizo Takenada,was of the view that Gujarat will surely have the ‘first mover advantage,’ as the Indian economy moves towards the next stage of the development process — focussed and intensive growth in the socio-economic sector.

Takenada said: “Of course the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) is important from the Japanese point of view,but the historical exchange between the two countries and the Gujarati spirit of entrepreneurship has its share as well. Gujarat indeed has the potential to become the growth engine of India.”

Takenada,however,was non-committal about Japanese investment,apart from the DMIC. His delegation includes representatives from Japanese economy,society and politics.

Hiroshi Fujiwara,CEO,Internet Research Institute,Yasuyo Yamazaki,former CEO,Goldman Sachs Japan,Prof Hiroshi Shimizu of Keio University Environment Studies and Shohei Kimura of NISSAN are the notables ones. The delegation also pointed towards the unique partnership between the two nations under the mantra ‘Stronger India-Stronger Japan and Stronger Japan-Stronger India.’