January 24, 2002
'27'
JAPANESE COMPANIES SHOW INTEREST IN INDIAN FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRY
JAPAN AND INDIA TO COLLABORATE FOR MANAGEMENT OF DISASTER
Private companies of Japan are interested in investing in the Food Processing Sector in India. This was stated by the visiting Parliamentary Secretary of the Government of Japan, Mr. Shigehiko Okuyama when he called on the Union Agriculture Minister, Shri Ajit Singh, here today. Mr. Shigehiko said that Japan is also exploring to export small tractors from Japan, which, he said, would be suitable for India due to its small land holdings. The Visiting Secretary, who is here in connection with the Second Asian meeting of United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction said that Japan has experience in management of disaster and it will be willing to help India in sharing this experience. He said that in Japan a Central Disaster Council is functioning directly under the Prime Minister. He said that Japan and India hold similar position in respect of WTO concerning agriculture.
Shri Ajit Singh told Mr. Shigehiko that India is in the process of identifying different disaster prone zones. He said that India also has a Disaster Management Committee, which is directly under the Prime Minister. He hoped that with the lifting of sanctions by Japan a number of proposals, which were pending, would be cleared. Shri Ajit Singh welcomed the idea of exchange of experience between the two countries on disaster management.