[CA/Bilateral Issues] Modi's Visit to Japan

Current Affairs

Modi’s Visit to Japan

(01) Strategic Ties

(02) Economy ties b/w India and Japan

(03) Energy – Environment ties b/w India and Japan

(04) Science, Space and Healthcare

(05) People 2 People

(06) India – Japan Nuclear deal

(07) US-2 Amphibian aircraft

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(01) Strategic Ties:

·        Japan is now India’s strategic partner (= civil + defence ties)

·        Japan will intensify 2+2 strategic dialogue with India, involving foreign and defense Secretaries. Japan also has similar with US, Australia, Russia and France.

·        Regular meetings between their National Security Advisors.

·        Trilateral Defense meeting between India-Japan-USA.

Defence Trade

·        1998: Japan had banned sale of HAL and other Indian defence companies (due to Pokhran test). After Modi visit, they lifted ban from HAL and 5 other cos.

·        Japan will sell US-2 amphibian aircrafts and its secret technology to India.

·        This will be Japan’s first overseas military sale in 50 years.

Joint Exercises

·        Japan will hold regular exercise with Indian navy and coast guards

·        Japan will participate in India-US Malabar naval exercise.

International bodies

·        Both want urgent reforms in UNSC- for increasing no. of permanent and non-permanent members.

·        Japan will help India get FULL membership in four international export control regimes

(a) Nuclear Suppliers Group

(b) Missile Technology Control Regime

(c) Wassenaar Arrangement

(d) Australia Group

Miscellaneous

·        Denounced terrorism in all forms.

·        Asked N.Korea to stop nuke proliferation.

·        Welcomed UN negotiations for Iran nuke issue,

·        Pledged support for Afghanistan rebuilding. (Just like “3 times-camera zooming” is pre-requisite in every serial, “Afghanistan-rebuilding” is pre-requisite in all bilateral meetings involving India.)

(02) Economy ties b/w India and Japan:

India	Japan
India will supply rare earth chloride to Japan- for making defence and high tech electronics.	Japan will Investment $35 billion smart cities, bullet trains, Ganga Cleaning, health-women etc. in next five years.
At present, China biggest producer of rare earth, limits exports to safeguard its local mfg. units	Double the Japanese FDI in 5 years
Modi to setup “Japan+ Management team” in PMO, to help Japanese investors in India. Team will have 2 Japanese members.	50 billion yen loan to IIFCL (India Infrastructure Finance corp. ltd) for PPP projects
Will reform tax, environment clearance for “ease of doing business”.	Collaborate on Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations

Transport

·        Joint Feasibility Study for bullet train between Ahmedabad – Mumbai.

·        Mass rapid transit system between Gurgaon and Bawal (HN)

·        Japan will help upgrading the existing semi-high speed railways in India.

·        @Gujarat: New Dholera International airport + Alang ship-breaking yard upgrade.

Industrial corridors

·        Will help finishing the ongoing industrial corridor projects

Ø     Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC)

Ø     Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC)

Ø     Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC)

·        Will setup Industrial cities / townships in Gujarat, Maharashtra, UP and Madhya Pradesh

·        Japanese industrial townships will give benefits similar or higher than SEZ and NIMZs in India.

Agro / village related

·        Japan will setup food value chains via PPP

·        Japan will give advanced irrigation system and farming machines.

·        Japanese “Champions of Societal Manufacturing (CSM) Project”- for mfg sector in India. Within this, Japan will also run “Village Buddha” project to help SHG groups in villages.

Miscellaneous

·        Smart Community projects, the Logistics Data Bank project

·        @North East: Road connectivity, Forest resource Management, water supply improvement.

(03) Energy, Environment ties b/w India and Japan:

·        Speed up nuclear deal negotiations

·        Jointly procure LNG

·        Tie up in oil-gas exploration.

·        Collaboration for environment friendly coal tech such as

·        Coal-fired power generation technology

·        Clean Coal Technology (CCT).

·        Super-critical coal-fired power project in Meja, UP.

·        Super critical thermal power plant in Barauni, Bihar.

·        @Gujarat: Canal top solar power plants

·        @ Rajasthan: Mega Solar Power project at Neemrana

Miscellaneous

·        will assist in cleaning Ganga

·        @Gujarat: Seawater Desalination project at Dahej.

·        Japan will host 3rd UN Disaster Management conference @Sendai (March 2015) to adopt new framework after Hyogo.

(04) Science, Space and Healthcare:

·        Outer space exploration via Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF)

·        ICT initiatives, internet security.

·        Joint ocean studies.

·        Science Fellowship programs for youth.

(05) People 2 People:

·        Kyoto-Varanasi partnership agreement: to develop Varanasi just like Japan’s historical city Kyoto.

·        JENESYS 2.0 program: Exchanging ~1300 youth

·        Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (JOCV): will send nurses to Mizoram.

·        Will promote Tourism, youth exchange, skill Development and other fancy things.

 (06) India – Japan Nuclear Deal:

Why does India want nuke deal with Japan?

·        India has put 10 out of 21 nuke reactors under IAEA supervision. They can be run on imported Uranium.

·        Ailing Jap. Nuke industry after Fukushima disaster. Will get boost by signing agreements with India.

·        Japanese companies supply critical components to nuclear powerplants of GE and Areva etc.

·        If India gets Japanese components and technology, it’ll greatly increase our nuclear-electricity generation.

·        Japan has huge stockpile of reprocessed plutonium.

What are the challenges then?
Japan	India
* Wants India to sign Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and Non-proliferation treaty. * Nuke disarmament is a major issue in their domestic politics. (Just like psedo-secularism in Indian politics). * If Japanese PM signs nuke deals with India, and India doesn’t commit to CBDT/NPT, it’ll be difficult for Abe’s party to win future elections.	No we won’t sign such stupid agreements. We want to have freedom of doing nuclear tests.
No, we cannot allow that.	We want to reprocess the spent fuel (for testing nuke weapons.)
India should accept inspection beyond the current IAEA safeguards. i.e. Japan must be allowed to inspect both your defense and civilian nuke programs.	Not acceptable. We can’t allow you / anyone else to inspect our defense nuclear programs.

Then, how to convenience Japan to sell nuke material and Technology to India?

·        India should gain membership into export control regimes — NSG, Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), Australia Group, and the Wassenaar Arrangement.

·        2015 will be the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.

·        At that time, Modi should launch a new “nuclear disarmament” initiative with Japan.

·        Above steps, will create good faith & then nuclear deal can be made.

(07) US-2 Amphibian aircraft:

·        Japan Maritime “self-defense” force uses this plane. (They don’t have a full-fledged army or navy.)

·        Amphibian aircraft meaning it can land both on land as well as water.

·        Can help rescuing victims from maritime accidents.

·        Can transport Indian troops to places with no landing strip or shore- especially in far-flung islands in Andaman, Nicobar, and Lakshadweep.

·        STOL: short takeoff and landing space required.

·        Can cover distance of 4500 kms, at speed >450 kmph without needing refueling.

·        This will be the first time since World War II, that Japan will make an overseas military sale.

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