Working group to boost trade ties with Japan

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has formed a Joint Working Group (JWG) to further strengthen the relations between the State and Japan, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa announced on Tuesday. Jayalalithaa said this while speaking on the occasion of signing an MoU between the Industries Department and the Government of Japan to set up a Business Support Centre here to support Japanese companies planning to invest in TN.She said the Working Group, consisting of officials from the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and senior officials of the State government, was already constituted for the mutual benefit of Japan and TN in industrial investment and infrastructure development. Recalling her meeting with Japanese Ambassador to India Akitaka Saiki in September last year, Jayalalithaa said it was suggested that a new framework of dialogue should be evolved to cover a broad range of issues and to strengthen the overall relationship between TN and Japan.‘’The Working Group will report the outcome of its discussions to the JWC and the decisions taken by the JWC will be followed by the Working Group’’, she said.Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry, government of Japan, Yukio Edano,  said TN was an ideal destination for Japanese companies and offered his government’s assistance for undertaking a comprehensive study on the infrastructural requirements of the Chennai-Bangalore Industrial Corridor.