Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi led a delegation to Tokyo on Tuesday, holding 20 meetings and two roundtable discussions with Japanese government officials and industry representatives to attract investments in automobiles, semiconductors, clean energy, chemicals and other sectors ahead of the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in January 2027.
The delegation met representatives of major Japanese companies, including Suzuki Motor Corporation, JERA, Tokyo Electron, Sumitomo Chemical, Furukawa Electric and Marubeni Corporation, as well as officials from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), according to a state government release. The discussions focused on potential investments, technology partnerships and industrial expansion in Gujarat. The state delegation also invited Japanese companies to participate in the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.
During a meeting with Suzuki Motor Corporation president Toshihiro Suzuki, discussions centred on expanding the automobile ecosystem in Gujarat, including electric vehicles and the development of vendor parks. The delegation also held a separate roundtable with Suzuki’s vendors. With JERA chief executive Izumi Kai, the delegation discussed potential projects in clean energy, power generation and the green transition. Talks with Tokyo Electron chairman Takeshi Okubo focused on semiconductor manufacturing, equipment supply chains and possible investments in Gujarat’s semiconductor sector.
The delegation also met Sumitomo Chemical president Nobuaki Mito to discuss cooperation in specialty chemicals and petrochemicals. Discussions with Furukawa Electric covered potential investments in fibre optics, telecommunications infrastructure and advanced materials, while talks with Marubeni Corporation centred on global supply chains and trading opportunities.
The state government also sought collaboration in textiles and manufacturing through meetings with Moririn, Honda Motor, Kyowa Leather, Nissei Plastic Industrial and JFE Steel, among others. The delegation additionally held discussions with Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, MUFG Bank and SMBC. On the government-to-government front, Sanghavi met Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yasutaka Nakasone to discuss strengthening India-Japan ties, with a focus on Gujarat-Japan relations, trade, investment and capacity building.
The delegation also met Iwate Prefecture governor Takuya Tasso to discuss regional development, industrial policy and cooperation in capacity building. A meeting with Kazushige Tanaka, director general at METI, focused on increasing bilateral trade, promoting investments and strengthening policy cooperation.
Published on October 21, 2026
