Bhubaneswar: A historic partnership between Odisha and Japan’s Tottori Prefecture was formalized on Wednesday with the signing of a landmark Friendship Agreement aimed at expanding economic, regional, cultural, and educational ties at the Lok Seva Bhawan Convention Centre here.
The bilateral pact was executed in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Tottori Prefecture Governor Shinji Hirai, paving the way for foreign employment, skill development, MSME expansion, and tourism growth.
To translate the overarching agreement into actionable outcomes, two crucial Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed during the event.
- Startup & MSME Collaboration: Signed between Startup Odisha and Tottori Prefecture to foster investor connectivity, joint product development, market access, and business-to-business networks between MSMEs in both regions.
- Global Skill & Foreign Employment: Executed between Odisha’s World Skill Center (WSC), Tottori Prefecture, and Nihan Edutech to create direct pathways for skilled Odia youth to secure overseas employment in Japan.
Governor Shinji Hirai led an 80-member delegation comprising Japanese industrial leaders, technical institution directors, bankers, and trade executives to inspect Odisha’s skill ecosystem, including a visit to the World Skill Center in Bhubaneswar.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi welcomed the Japanese delegation with the greeting “Konnichiwa”, emphasizing the deep civilizational trust between India and Japan.
Majhi noted that major Japanese conglomerates—including Nippon Steel, JFE Steel, Indo Nissin, Krosaki, TYK, Yokohama, IHI, and Toray—have invested heavily in Odisha, bringing advanced technology and creating local employment.
Highlighting shared coastal geography and heritage, the CM pointed to Odisha’s Pattachitra, Chandua, and stone carvings alongside Tottori’s traditional handicrafts.
The agreement aims to boost tourism, inviting Japanese delegates to explore Odisha’s Diamond Triangle Buddhist sites (Ratnagiri, Udayagiri, and Lalitgiri) while encouraging Odia travelers to visit Tottori’s coastlines and famous sand dunes.
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