Bharat’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar recently embarked on a visit to Japan from March 6-8 to participate in the 16th Bharat-Japan Foreign Minister’s Strategic Dialogue. During his stay, Jaishankar met with Akie Abe, the wife of the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, to convey Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s heartfelt condolences on the passing of Mrs. Yoko Abe, Shinzo Abe’s mother. Jaishankar handed over a personal letter from PM Modi to Mrs. Abe, expressing sympathy and acknowledging the significant contributions of the late PM to fostering Bharat-Japan relations.
Taking to social media platform X, Jaishankar shared his meeting with Mrs. Akie Abe, reminiscing about Shinzo Abe’s invaluable role in advancing the friendship between India and Japan. The EAM underscored the deepening ties between the two nations and conveyed Bharat’s solidarity during this period of mourning for the Abe family.
On my visit to Tokyo this time, met with Mrs Akie Abe, wife of late PM Shinzo Abe.
Recalled PM Shinzo Abe’s invaluable contribution to the advancement of India-Japan relations.
Handed over a personal letter from PM @narendramodi conveying his condolences on the recent passing… pic.twitter.com/5M33NKnht2
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 8, 2024
In addition to expressing condolences, Jaishankar emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral relations between Bharat and Japan during his interaction with Akie Abe. He highlighted the stabilizing role that the Bharat-Japan relationship can play in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, underscoring the strategic significance of collaboration between the two countries.
The 16th Bharat-Japan Foreign Ministers Strategic Dialogue, co-chaired by Jaishankar and his Japanese counterpart Yoko Kamikawa, saw discussions on various aspects of bilateral cooperation, including emerging technologies. Jaishankar reiterated the commitment of both nations to expand cooperation in ambitious areas, reflecting on the significant progress made in government-to-government, business-to-business, and people-to-people exchanges across different sectors in recent years.
Jaishankar lauded the year 2023 as a “landmark” in Bharat-Japan bilateral relations, citing notable interactions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Kishida during the latter’s visit to Delhi in March. He also acknowledged Japan’s cooperation during its successful G20 presidency, highlighting the multifaceted partnership between the two countries.
As Bharat and Japan celebrated the 10th year of their special strategic and global partnership, Jaishankar stressed the importance of exploring new avenues for collaboration and injecting fresh momentum into the existing partnership. The dialogue between the two foreign ministers aimed to chart a course for enhanced cooperation, fostering mutual growth and stability in the region.
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