Khaldon Azhari

TOKYO: The Indian embassy in Tokyo held the “73rd Anniversary Celebration of the Republic Day of India” reception at a Tokyo hotel on Wednesday, which was attended by over 300 guests, including Japanese Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Taro Honda, and speaker of the House of Representatives Hiroyuki Hosoda.

Foreign Minister Hayashi expressed his congratulations and hoped that this year, which marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and India, would see the bilateral relations between the two countries further strengthened and that the “Japan-India Special Strategic Global Partnership” would further blossom.

Hayashi also noted that India is a global power with a major role and responsibility in the prosperity and stability of the region and the world and that Japan is also an extremely important partner in realizing a “free and open Indo-Pacific.

He stated that it is important for Japan and India, which have been advocating the importance of a rules-based international order, to work closely together to address common challenges.

In a video message, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, said that Japan has been a natural and valuable partner in India’s development over the past 70 years and that India-Japan relations have great potential to create a stable, secure and sustainable Indo-Pacific region.

Indian ambassador Sanjay Kumar Verma said in his welcoming remarks that the occasion of the 73rd Republic Day of India is celebrated to mark the commemoration of the enactment of the Constitution of India on this date in 1950.

On April 28, 1952, India and Japan signed a peace treaty and formally established diplomatic relations. The delivery of 1 million doses of Indian-made Covid-19 vaccines by the Nippon foundation to Myanmar is one example of cooperation between Indian and Japan.

India and Japan are engaged in multilateral forums on various international issues, including countering terrorism and are committed to strengthening multilateralism.

In his speech, Hosoda, who heads the Japan-India parliamentary league, said former prime minister ABE Shinzo will assume the group’s chairmanship.

Former prime minister SUGA Yoshihide said he met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington DC on Sept 23, 2021, on the sidelines of the Quad Leaders’ Summit. 2 and they reinforced the countries’ already strong ties. He added he was encouraged by the progress in the Quad and hoped the next summit meeting in Tokyo would deepen the cooperation.

Guests at the event, including Japanese academia, officials and distinguished persons, and Tokyo-based diplomats and friends of India, were entertained with traditional Indian music and dance.