Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal will lead a strong 200-member delegation to Japan on a four-day visit starting today, during which they will hold bilateral talks, seek investments and forge ties in a host of fields including that of semiconductors and artificial intelligence.

During the visit, the delegation will go to Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka and hold government-to-government and business-to -business meetings across multiple sectors for business cooperation and investment.

In Tokyo, the Union minister will hold a series of meetings with the leaders of major Japanese conglomerates and industrial houses that have been partners in India’s growth, alongside a round-table with Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), the apex body representing over 1,500 leading Japanese companies.

There will be dedicated sessions on semiconductors and artificial intelligence, start-ups, and engagement with foreign institutional investors, reflecting India’s growing pull as an investment and innovation destination.

The business delegation has representatives from sectors spanning manufacturing, semiconductors, clean energy and steel to automotive, financial services, healthcare and start-ups.

Goyal will also hold bilateral talks with his counterpart, Akazawa Ryosei, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and call on senior members of the Japanese Government and Parliament, besides interacting with the Indian community in Japan.

The minister will also visit Nagoya, the industrial heartland of Central Japan, where he will lead a roadshow with Chukeiren (Central Japan Economic Federation) and the Nagoya Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

The visit will conclude in Osaka with an ‘Investors and Business Roadshow’, along with meetings with leading Japanese companies across electronics, industrial and consumer sectors, aimed at showcasing opportunities across India’s manufacturing, clean energy and consumer markets.

This visit is expected to give fresh momentum to bilateral trade and investment ties, said officials at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).

“This is the 50th edition of India Japan Business cooperation committee and is also the 75th year of India Japan diplomatic relationship. So, it is a marquee year and it’s good to see the countries re-engage both at G2G and B2B levels and take forward discussions on declarations that happened when the Japanese PM came to India,” said Jyoti Vij, Director General FICCI, while speaking to reporters in Japan.