Modi meets Japanese personalities who played key role in promoting Indian culture in Japan

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (20) met some of the leading Japanese personalities who were instrumental in promoting Indian culture in Japan, saying such interactions facilitate the deepening of mutual understanding and creating stronger bonds between the two countries.

Modi is currently in Hiroshima to attend three sessions at the ongoing G7 summit following an invitation by his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida.

The Indian leader met Dr. Tomio Mizokami, professor emeritus at the Graduate School of Foreign Studies of Osaka University, a renowned author, linguist, and proficient in Hindi and Punjabi languages.

Mizokami was conferred the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, in 2018 for his contribution to the promotion of Indian literature and culture in Japan.

He presented the widely acclaimed book "Jwalamukhi”-- an anthology of writings from the 1980s by a cohort of Japanese scholars who laid the foundation of Hindi learning in Japan, according to the press release issued by India's ministry of external affairs.

Modi also met and interacted with Hiroko Takayama, who was born in Hiroshima and is a Western-style painter, whose works are deeply influenced by her deep association with India, spanning over two decades.

Takayama has conducted several workshops and held exhibitions in India, and was briefly a visiting professor at Visva Bharati University in Santiniketan in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, the press release said.

She presented the prime minister with one of her prominent works --- an oil painting of Lord Buddha, created in 2022.

Modi said such interactions facilitate the deepening of mutual understanding, respect and creating stronger bonds between our countries.

He looked forward to further opportunities for such enriching exchanges that pave the way for further strengthening India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership relations, it added.

Earlier, Modi held bilateral talks with Kishida, focusing on ways to synergise efforts under G7 and G20 presidencies to deal with various global challenges.

Modi arrived in Hiroshima on Friday (19) on the first leg of his three-nation trip to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia and is expected to take part in over 40 engagements. He is visiting Hiroshima from May 19 to 21 primarily for the annual summit of the G7 advanced economies in which he is expected to speak on challenges facing the globe, including food, fertiliser and energy security.

(With PTI inputs)