Chandigarh, December 10
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said that the overwhelming response of the investors during the recent Japan and South Korea visit will prove to be a new milestone in the industrial progress of the state besides further firmly placing it as the most preferred investment destination. Sharing his experiences of visits to Japan and South Korea, the Chief Minister said that he duly showcased Punjab as the emerging hub of Industry across the globe. He said that the motive of the visit was to firm up investments in the state and create more employment opportunities for the youth by giving fillip to industrial development. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this historic visit will be instrumental in giving the much needed impetus to industrial development by putting it on the high growth trajectory.
The Chief Minister said that during a meeting Senior Managing Director of Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) Ogawa Kazunori showed positive interest in evaluating Punjab’s industrial and clean-energy project proposals. He said that they agreed to continue technical discussions on potential financing avenues through the Japanese company. Mann said that the bank also welcomed the Summit invitation and expressed openness for future engagement.
The Chief Minister further said that Tomonori Kai and Toru Nakane, the CEO and EVP respectively of Aisan Industry Co., Ltd showed positive interest in evaluating Punjab for future manufacturing or R&D opportunities. Similarly, he said that Tanaka Hiroki and Suzuki Mari, the Global Strategy Manager and Product Planning Group of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. expressed openness to exploring future possibilities in EV mobility, R&D collaboration, and skill development initiatives. Mann said that they also welcomed the Summit 2026 invitation and showed interest in staying engaged with Punjab’s investment facilitation ecosystem.
The Chief Minister said that during a meeting with Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Department Manager Tatsuya Nakamura and ITO Kiyoshi shared that they are in the process of exploring component manufacturing through Indian partners in Punjab. Bhagwant Singh Mann assured full facilitation and policy support to the company and extended an invitation to them for PPIS 2026. He said that Director General, South Asia Department of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Yamada Tetsuya reaffirmed interest in supporting Punjab’s development initiatives through technical cooperation and capacity-building programs especially in crop diversification.
The Chief Minister said that discussions with JICA focused on potential collaboration in urban infrastructure, water management, and skill development. He said that JICA expressed willingness to explore deeper engagement and project partnerships. Mann said that Hajime Ishii, the Senior Vice President of Toray Industries, Inc showed interest in technical textiles and composites for Punjab’s auto and aerospace sectors.
The Chief Minister said that Parliamentary Vice Minister Economy, Trade and Industry Komori Takuo agreed to continue coordination for connecting Japanese firms with Invest Punjab. Similarly, he said that Jungo Okai, Head of Technology Business Management Unit of Fujitsu Ltd Expressed interest in digital governance solutions and assured that they will explore Mohali for future projects in India. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the second day of his visit to Japan began with a meeting with NEC Corporation adding that Director, International Cooperation Business Department Makoto Noda and Manager Miho Hara, expressed interest in Punjab’s digital initiatives and industrial automation opportunities and the company agreed to evaluate Punjab’s IT ecosystem for collaboration.
The Chief Minister further said that later in the day over 250 participants, including senior representatives from Japanese industry and trade bodies, attended the Tokyo Roadshow. He said that strong institutional participation from DG JETRO India Suzuki Takashi, reflected high-level support for Indo-Japan economic ties. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that experiences shared by Hero MotoCorp (Sumitomo & Kiriu Corp), Vardhman Special Steels (Aichi Steel), and XL scout, showcased successful partnerships in Punjab.
The Chief Minister said that during meeting with Sumitomo Corporation and Kiriu Corporation, the representatives of company including Shohei Yoshida, Yoshito Miyazaki, Tomo Tozawa, Hiroki Yasukawa and Kitaru Shimizu shared positive experience through their existing collaboration with Hero MotoCorp in Punjab. He said that they agreed to evaluate Punjab’s industrial clusters for future projects and consider Mohali for technology initiatives and assured further deeper engagements with the state. Mann said that during a meeting with Toppan Holdings Inc. the representatives of the company including Satoshi Oya President and Masahiko Takewaki Managing Executive Officer formally conveyed an Expression of Interest to expand its Punjab facility with a proposed investment of Rs 300–400 crore.
The Chief Minister said that a non-binding MoU was signed between Toppan and Invest Punjab to jointly develop a Skilling Excellence Centre aligned with industry needs. He said that during a meeting with Indian Diaspora and Local Stakeholders focus was laid on strengthening linkages with the Indian diaspora to build long-term partnerships. Similarly, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that thrust was also laid on encouraging diaspora-led investments in key sectors such as manufacturing, technology, and services.
The Chief Minister said that on day three a meeting was held at Aichi Steel’s Headquarters in which Chairman Fujioka Takahiro and President Ito Toshio welcomed the Summit invitation and expressed interest in deeper engagement and expanded investments. He said that Aichi Steel and Vardhman Special Steels signed an MoU to jointly study future factory operations in Punjab, including feasibility assessment for Rs 500 crore investment. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the agreement includes technical cooperation from Aichi and facilitation by Vardhman on land and approvals adding that the state government assured full support and prioritized growth of existing Japanese companies in Punjab.
The Chief Minister said that during the third day at Seoul Punjab Investment Road show was organized in which the Indian Ambassador appreciated Punjab’s proactive investment facilitation and assured continued Embassy support for India–Korea industrial collaboration. He said that Sunjin’s Managing Director praised Mohali and Chandigarh for their quality of life and commended Invest Punjab’s professional facilitation and efficient workforce. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the roadshow attracted senior representatives from leading Korean and international organizations, including Bloomberg, BRICS India Trade Pvt. Ltd., Kim & Chang, Shin & Kim LLC, KOTRA, Daeyoung Corp., Gawon International, TagHive, Punjabi Association of Korea, and others reflecting strong institutional interest in partnerships with Punjab.
The Chief Minister said that Tourism Roadshow in Seoul also got massive response as more than 10 representatives of different tour operators took part in it and evinced keen interest in harnessing tourism potential of the state. Meanwhile, he said that during a meeting with Sunjin the company also intended to expand its animal feed capacity in Punjab and shared plans to set up poultry and dairy business operations in the state. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that as the head of the state he is duty bound to tell the people about the meetings conducted by him and the results of these deliberations.
