Odisha is preparing to formalize a strategic partnership with Japan’s Tottori Prefecture, with plans to sign multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on November 10. These agreements will focus on language training for jobs in Japan and technology transfer aimed at enhancing startup growth.
The partnership will be highlighted by a visit from a high-ranking delegation led by Tottori Governor Shinji Hirai, scheduled from November 10 to November 12, as announced by Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain.
A key component of the diplomatic visit will be a bilateral meeting between Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Governor Hirai, culminating in an official ceremony at the State Convention Centre in Bhubaneswar. In addition to a Friendship and Cooperation Agreement, two specific institutional MoUs will be signed to create international opportunities for local businesses and their workforce.
The first MoU will see Startup Odisha collaborate with the Director of Industries from Tottori Prefecture, facilitating the transfer of Japanese technology and operational insights to boost Odisha’s startup ecosystem. The second agreement, which involves Tottori and the World Skill Center, will introduce Japanese language and specialized technical training programs to better prepare local youth for employment in Japan.
The delegation visiting from Japan includes several prominent figures such as Tottori Prefecture Chief Secretary Toshiki Endo, Commercial Department Director General Sasaki, San-in Godo Bank Director Yoshioka, as well as members of the Tottori Prefectural Assembly, business executives, and student representatives.
On the Indian side, the proceedings will feature a range of ministerial and administrative leaders, including Minister Swain, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Minister Gokulananda Mallik, Chief Secretary Anu Garg, and Additional Chief Secretary for Industries Hemant Sharma, along with senior officials from various departments.
Discussions focusing on commercial and industrial collaboration will take place across various platforms. Startup Odisha will organize a dedicated business session at O-Hub in Bhubaneswar to facilitate connections between companies from both regions, while a larger business roundtable will gather Japanese corporate representatives, including those already operating in Odisha, alongside state institutions such as IPICOL, IDCO, APICOL, OSIC, and the Central Tool Room and Training Centre (CTTC).
The visit will also include on-site evaluations of existing industrial and educational facilities. Delegates will tour the Indo-Nissin manufacturing plant at the Food Processing Park in Khordha, examine training facilities at CTTC in Bhubaneswar, and review the World Skill Center campus in Mancheswar.
Throughout the visit, interactions between visiting students and local youth will be encouraged to build lasting cultural and academic connections between the younger generations of both regions.
