Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 7 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Aki Abe, wife of late former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, jointly inaugurated the ‘Shinzo Abe Memorial Corridor’ at the Rudraksh Convention Centre in Varanasi on Wednesday, dedicating the corridor to the memory of the former Japanese Prime Minister.
On the occasion, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath presented Aki Abe with a memento.
Addressing the event, Aki Abe thanked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the memorial corridor and said that the programme honoured her husband.
“I was very happy to be invited to participate in this event,” she said. She expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the country for this.
She said that she was told that Varanasi was originally called Kashi. Both Kashi and Kyoto’s names begin with the letter ‘K’ and are ancient cities.
She mentioned the work of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Modi in building the convention centre.
She said that symbolic Rudrakshas numbering 108 have been placed on the exterior walls of the centre. The number 108 is significant to the people of Japan. On the last day of December, bells are rung 108 times in all Japanese Buddhist temples, and it is believed that all human beings have 108 afflictions/evils. She became emotional while describing the emotional and affectionate relationship between PM Modi and her husband.
She said that in 2015, her husband visited Kashi and witnessed the Ganga Aarti. It was her heartfelt desire to visit Varanasi and witness everything with her own eyes. Today, her dream has come true.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that this land of Lord Vishwanath is the land of Lord Buddha’s first sermon.
He paid tribute to the former Prime Minister of Japan and said that this memorial corridor symbolises the strategic, cultural, and diplomatic relations between India and Japan.
He recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the oath as the Chief Minister of Gujarat on this day in 2001, furthering a new dimension of friendship.
Yogi said that he had visited Japan for the first time as Chief Minister, and that the friendship began from that time. Today, by inaugurating the corridor, they have strengthened their relationship.
He said that Japan has been India’s most trusted and key partner in its infrastructure, technology, transportation, and economic development.
Yogi mentioned the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Rail Corridor (Bullet Train), the Delhi Metro, as well as the development of the Mumbai Metro, Bengaluru Metro, Kolkata Metro, Chennai and Ahmedabad Metro projects, the Dedicated Freight Corridor, and the semiconductor ecosystem.
He said that a 500-acre ‘Japan City’ is being developed near the Jewar Airport in the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority area.
Additionally, a dedicated ‘Yamanashi Desk’ has been set up at ‘Invest UP’ to assist Japanese investors. He said that Yamanashi is a green hydrogen partner. UP government and Yamanashi Prefecture are jointly developing a green hydrogen pilot project to promote clean energy in Uttar Pradesh.
Chief Minister mentioned the various visits of the former Prime Minister of Japan and discussed relations between the two countries. He acknowledged Japan’s support in the country’s development. Nearly 1,400 Japanese companies are operating.
Japanese Prime Minister was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 2021. He spoke about the test of friendship with a couplet from Tulsi. He said that India is fortunate to have a friend like Japan. He recounted his experiences during his visit to Japan. Yamanashi is a green hydrogen partner.
He said 2027 would mark 75 years of India-Japan relations.
Referring to India’s cultural message of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, Yogi said the message of Indian culture is that the world is one family.
He also referred to places associated with Lord Buddha, including Sarnath, Kushinagar, Shravasti, Kapilvastu, Kaushambi and Sankisa, and said the path of Lord Buddha’s faith passes through Uttar Pradesh.
The Chief Minister noted that the Asian Games were recently held in Nagoya, Japan, and thanked the people of Japan for encouraging Indian athletes.
The Rudraksh Convention Centre itself is an example of India-Japan cooperation. The centre was constructed with Japanese assistance and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021.
A photo gallery at the centre displays photographs from December 2015, when Shinzo Abe accompanied Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Varanasi and participated in the Ganga Aarti.
The Rudraksh Convention Centre is considered a symbol of India-Japan friendship and was envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Independent Charge Minister Ravindra Jaiswal, District Panchayat President Poonam Maurya, Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari, Cantt MLA Saurabh Srivastava, a high-level delegation from Japan, and prominent citizens and schoolchildren from Kashi were present at the event. (ANI)
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