Uttar Pradesh sets up dedicated desk to fast-track Japanese investments

The Uttar Pradesh government has established a dedicated Yamanashi Desk at Invest U.P. and will coordinate regularly with Japanese companies to fast-track investments from the prefecture, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced on Friday.

The announcement came as Uttar Pradesh and Japan's Yamanashi prefecture signed four Memoranda of Understanding covering skills development, technical training, tourism and Japanese Global Capability Centres, at a business networking event held at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow. Yamanashi Governor Kotaro Nagasaki, Japanese business leaders and senior Uttar Pradesh ministers and officials attended the event.

₹600-crore fund for MSMEs

Yamanashi has committed a ₹600-crore fund to support Uttar Pradesh's micro, small and medium enterprises, a move the Chief Minister said would strengthen the state's manufacturing base.

Mr. Adityanath said the dedicated Yamanashi Desk would serve as a focused channel for investors and businesses from the Japanese prefecture. Regular coordination with JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) and JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) would help identify opportunities, address investor concerns and speed up project implementation, he added.

Structured, long-term cooperation

Speaking to the Japanese delegation, the Chief Minister said the partnership must move beyond investment discussions towards structured, long-term cooperation. He highlighted Uttar Pradesh's improving connectivity, industrial infrastructure, skilled workforce and investor-friendly policies.

"Japan is not only an important investment partner for Uttar Pradesh; it is a long-term partner in our development journey. We want this relationship to become more structured and outcome-driven," Mr. Adityanath said. "The ₹600-crore Yamanashi fund, the dedicated Yamanashi Desk at Invest UP and regular coordination with JETRO and JICA will help us move faster from dialogue to implementation".

He said the state wanted to build a partnership in which investment, technology, skills and employment advance together. "Uttar Pradesh has the scale, infrastructure and young workforce that Japanese companies need, while Japan offers technology, skills and global experience that can accelerate our growth. Our objective is to create a partnership that generates investment, jobs and lasting institutional linkages," he said.

Source: The Hindu