Fumio Kishida | Business Upturn

Meta CEO Zuckerberg Meets Japan PM Kishida to discuss AI

Tushar Aggarwal — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 09:48:01 +0000

Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo to discuss artificial intelligence (AI) issues and the future of technology. The meeting comes as part of Zuckerberg’s trip through Asia, where he is engaging with leaders and stakeholders on AI-related topics.

In brief comments to reporters at the prime minister’s residence, Zuckerberg described the conversation as “good and productive,” highlighting the importance of AI in shaping the future of technology. However, he did not delve into specific details or take questions from the media before leaving.

The meeting with Prime Minister Kishida follows reports of Zuckerberg’s upcoming visit to South Korea later this month. During his visit, Zuckerberg is expected to discuss AI with Samsung Electronics chairman Jay Y. Lee and potentially meet with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Meta confirmed Zuckerberg’s planned visit to South Korea, indicating the company’s focus on engaging with key stakeholders in the region on AI-related matters.

Both Japan’s government and corporate sector have been actively pursuing advancements in AI development. Prime Minister Kishida has previously met with other industry leaders, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, to discuss AI regulation and infrastructure. These meetings underscore the growing recognition of AI as a critical technology for driving innovation and economic growth.

As countries and companies around the world invest in AI research and development, discussions between industry leaders and government officials play a crucial role in shaping policies and strategies for AI adoption. Zuckerberg’s engagements in Japan and his upcoming visit to South Korea reflect Meta’s commitment to collaborating with stakeholders to advance AI technologies and address key challenges in the field.

PM Modi exchanges views on Defence, Security, Trade, Supply Chains with Japanese PM Kishida

United News of India (UNI) — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 11:36:48 +0000

New Delhi, Mar 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that during his talks with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida the two sides exchanged views on defence and security, technology, trade, health and digital cooperation as well as on stable and reliable supply chains of semi-conductors and other critical technology.

In his press statement after holding delegation level talks with the Japanese leader, PM Modi said that he has seen Prime Minister Kishida’s positivity and commitment to the bilateral relationship, and that is the reason why this visit will be very useful is keeping up the momentum in ties.

PM Modi said that with India holding the G20 presidency this year, and Japan the G7 presidency and keeping their priorities and interests in mind, the visit is best timed to coordinate their efforts.

He said he had explained to PM Kishida India’s G20 priorities and that giving voice to the Global South is India’s priority.

“The India-Japan bilateral Special Strategic Global Partnership is based on the rule of law, and it is important for both sides to strengthen it, and it will help boost peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” he emphasized.

He also said that he had accepted the invite from PM Kishida to attend the G7 leaders’ summit being hosted in Hiroshima in May this year.

PM Modi said that there has been good progress with regard to the five trillion yen (Rs 3,20,000 crore) investment announced by PM Kishida during his last visit in May 2022.

Referring to India-Japan Industrial Competitiveness Partnership launched between the two sides in December 2019 to strengthen India’s industrial competitiveness, PM Modi said that thanks to it competitiveness is being increased in the logistics, food processing, machinery, SMEs sectors. “We expressed happiness on the activities,” he added.

He also said the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail corridor project using Japan’s Shinkansen technology is progressing well.

PM Modi said that 2023 is the India-Japan Tourism Exchange Year, and under it they have chosen the theme Connecting the Himalayas with Mt Fuji in Japan.

“PM Kishida has invited me to attend the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Hiroshima. A few months later we will host the G20 Summit and I will get the opportunity to invite him to India again. With our exchanges continuing this way, India-Japan relations are sure to touch newer heights.”

Japanese PM Kishida in his statement, said that their views concurred on the G20 and G7 priorities and they will cooperate for the success of both summits.

He said the two sides held wide-ranging talks, including on holding of the 2+2 and on the joint defence exercises, and welcomed the concrete progress.

PM Kishida said their economic cooperation continues to grow, which will add to the development of India and provide significant opportunities to Japan.

He said during the working lunch with PM Modi the two sides will hold another round of productive discussions on the Indo-Pacific situation, and that he will unveil his new plan for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific at the ICWA talk in the evening.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Business Upturn staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Japanese PM Fumio Kishida praises India for being an “indispensable” partner in realizing Japan’s FOIP policy

United News of India (UNI) — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 11:26:12 +0000

New Delhi, Mar 20: Terming India an “indispensable” partner in realizing Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) policy, visiting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday outlined his country’s FOIP and of turning the region into an area that will be free from force and coercion, amid China’s growing belligerence in the South China Sea area.

Delivering the 41st Sapru House Lecture at the Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, Prime Minister Kishida said that it is becoming more important than ever for cooperation in the world rather than division, which is a fundamental concept of FOIP.

Re-enhancing connectivity, establishing the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific and making it a prosperous region are among the FOIP’s main points, said PM Kishida. Relations between Japan and China are strained over the Senkaku islands that belong to Japan, but Beijing has also laid claim to them.

“The concept of FOIP is defending freedom and rule of law”, and helping vulnerable countries in need, he said, adding that it also includes respect for diversity, inclusiveness and openness. “Do not create camps or barriers…there should be room for respect and dialogue and equal partnership among nations.”

“I believe we should aim for a world where diverse nations should exist together and prosper… and a life of dignity should be pursued,” he said adding that Japan will follow diplomacy to achieve the goals of FOIP.

“Our FOIP needs to be undertaken with various stakeholders and countries…India is indispensable… We will expand our network with nations that are important,” he added.

He outlined four pillars of FOIP, the first of which is respect for peace and rule of law for prosperity, which he said is the backbone of the policy.
Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and non-coercion, which should be adhered to in every corner of the world. “I reiterate that Japan strongly condemns Russian aggression on Ukraine,” he said, adding that Prime Minister Modi had also conveyed to Russia that today’s era is not of war.

PM Kishida said that Bangladesh will soon graduate from an LDC country and “we have already launched a joint study group on economic partnership with Bangladesh”.

“Japan will coordinate closely with India in the South Asian region… many Japanese companies can provide quality infrastructure,” he said.
The second pillar was addressing challenges in the Indo-Pacific way – on climate change, health, cyber space. “We will address various challenges in the Indo-Pacific way and expand cooperation for FOIP and enhance resilience and sustainability of autonomous nations,” he added.
He said Japan will lead the clean market to achieve green transformation or GX, and also help the island countries through its official development assistance programme.

The third pillar was growth and connectivity, he said, adding “By connecting we aim to help countries achieve economic growth that benefits everyone.”
The focus would be on Southeast Asia, the ASEAN and Pacific Island countries.

Regarding South Asia, he said North East India has unexplored potential.

With regard to Bangladesh, he said they will promote the Bay of Bengal in the value chain concept for growth of the region.
Fourth pillar is to protect free oceans and enhance maritime protection capability of nations, he said, adding that the damage caused by illegal fishing by nations is becoming dangerous, and Japan will strengthen efforts to combat illegal fishing.

Japan will also focus on the maritime security of nations, through diplomacy, and dispensing ODA.

“We will revise the ODA charter and strengthen coordination with agencies that handle ODA,” he said, adding that they will also focus on startups.

PM Kishida said that Japan will mobilize more than USD 75 billion in public and private funds in the Indo Pacific and work with other countries.

“India is an indispensable partner and I believe the two are in a unique position in their relations and in the history of the world. India is the largest democracy and Japan and India have great responsibility for maintaining the rule of law.”

“And my hope is by working with the ASEAN and other countries we will bring peace and prosperity. By achieving FOIP, I believe the region will be a place that will be free from force and coercion,” he said.

PM Kishida also said that Japan will spare no efforts to help India achieve success in its G20 presidency.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Business Upturn staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

PM Modi lauds Japan as an “indispensable partner” in India’s development

Akash Dhanurkar — Mon, 23 May 2022 08:49:33 +0000

Ahead of his bilateral meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, PM Narendra Modi praised Japan for being the most reliable and indispensable partner in India’s development. The two Prime Ministers would hold a bilateral meeting on Tuesday.

“We have also fostered a dynamic startup ecosystem in India, with over 100 unicorns. The Japanese capital is already playing an important role in this effort. And there is potential for a great deal more,” according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India and Japan have been collaboratively working on numerous developmental projects with one crucial bring Mumbai – Ahmedabad Bullet train project.

“The iconic Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project symbolizes Japan’s extensive collaboration in some of the most important endeavors to build a New India,” added, Prime Minister Modi. the project will be covering three districts in Maharashtra and eight districts in Gujarat. The center will bear the cost of 10, 000 crore rupees. While Maharashtra and Gujarat will contribute 5, 000 crores each. The project is finalized to be built at 1.8 lakh crore. Japan will pay the remaining amount, which is a loan sanctioned at a 0.1 % interest rate.

Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra, while briefing about PM Modi’s visit to Japan, said, “Modi has referred to the India-Japan relationship as being one of the most natural in the region. In the last few years, the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership have seen great momentum.”

He further added, “The meeting (between Modi and Kishida) will be an opportunity to carry forward the high-level engagement between the two countries, as also to advance bilateral cooperation agenda.”

Japanese PM Fumio Kishida meets PM Modi, discusses economic & cultural linkages

Himanshu Mishra — Sat, 19 Mar 2022 12:41:19 +0000

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday met his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi at the Hyderabad House in Delhi.

Modi and Kishida held fruitful conversations during which means to improve economic and cultural linkages between the two nations were talking about, the Prime Minister’s Office announced in a tweet.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi took to microblogging site and wrote, “The 14th Annual Summit gets followed with a meeting between PM @narendramodi and Japanese PM @kishida230. Another step aimed at advancing the India-Japan partnership – a partnership for peace, prosperity and progress!”

Kishida reached India earlier on Saturday for his foremost visit to the nation as the head of government. He will depart from Delhi on Sunday morning.

Kishida is expected to declare a proposal to invest 5 trillion yen ($42 billion) in India over the next five years during his first diplomatic visit to the country since assuming office. Kishida is possibly going to declare the public-private funding plan during the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit, Nikkei Asia reported.

In his two-day visit to India, the Japanese Prime Minister is also going to approve a nearly 300 billion yen loan during his meeting with PM Modi, according to Japanese media agency Nikkei. An energy cooperation document relating to carbon reduction is also possible to be signed.

Japan to shorten COVID booster shot interval to 7 months for elderly: PM Fumio Kishida

United News of India (UNI) — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 12:09:15 +0000

Tokyo, Dec 17 (UNI/Sputnik) Japan will reduce the interval for COVID-19 booster shots for senior citizens from eight to seven months from February next year, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters on Friday.

Kishida said Japan would cut the period between the second and the third shots of COVID-19 vaccine, as it intensifies efforts to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant, the Japanese Kyodo news agency reported.

Last week, South Korea also shortened the booster administration intervals to three months amid concerns over the Omicron variant, while Australia cut the gap to five months. On Thursday, Turkey announced plans to cut the interval to three months.

UNI/SPUTNIK MYK SY 1730

Japan’s PM Fumio Kishida to head the Foreign Ministry until the formation of a new cabinet

Cheryll Jain — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 08:24:05 +0000

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday announced that he may personally head the country’s Foreign Ministry until his government forms a new cabinet later this month. He also affirmed that he will begin to implement the political course announced before the general elections took place in the country with immediate effect.

Kishida’s plan to temporarily take over the role of Foreign Minister comes in light of the potential appointment of Toshimitsu Motegi, the current Foreign Minister of Japan, to the post of Secretary-General of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The influential post will allow Motegi a hand in shaping the country’s policy, among other things.

“Since I have gained the people’s mandate through the general elections, I now plan to speedily implement policies,” Kishida stated on Thursday, further adding “Until the new cabinet, I am thinking of working as Foreign Minister as well.”

Toshimitsu Motegi will reportedly assume the Secretary-General post of the Liberal Democratic Party on November 4 as LDP is slated to convene an executive board meeting for the same. Motegi will replace Akira Amari, who had occupied the position since September.

Meanwhile, Japan’s former Defence Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is being named as a possible candidate to take over the post of Foreign Minister in Kishida’s cabinet.

The Japanese Parliament is set to convene a special session next week on November 10 to officiate Fumio Kishida as the country’s Prime Minister. Thereafter, Kishida will formulate the cabinet which is expected to remain mostly unchanged besides naming a new head for the country’s Foreign Ministry.