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The Sasakawa Pan Asia Fund

Strengthening the Intellectual Foundations for Contemporary Japanese Studies in India - Phase Ⅱ

Project classification	Grant
Implementing Agency	Grant: Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations
Grantee location	India
Program/Guidelines	3. Support to prioritized countries 3.2 Support to South Asia
Year	FY2011
Year project budget implementation	8,600,000yen
Implementation year	2/3

Project Outline

In this project, SPF aims to promote understanding of contemporary Japan in India and contribute to mutual understanding between the two countries by building on the results of the project to date (Phase I 2007-2009) and strengthening the platform for research on Japan.

Implementation Plan

In the second year of the three-year project, the following activities will be carried out.

Seminars and round table discussions
- (1) Seminars
  Two experts from Japan and India, respectively, will be invited to lecture at seminars in New Delhi and Kolkata. The themes of the seminars will be: "Solving Global Imbalances - the Role of the Japan-India Partnership" (New Delhi), and "Japan-India Economic Cooperation - The Importance of Central Government" (Kolkata).
- (2) Round table discussions
  Three roundtable discussions will be held in New Delhi for Japanese researchers and diplomats, Indian government officials, entrepreneurs, and university researchers. The themes for discussion will be: "Japan-India Cooperation on Nuclear Power", "UN Security Council Reform and Japan-India Cooperation", and "The G20 System and Japan-India Cooperation".
Support for researchers from Japan and India
- (1) Support for a Japanese researcher in India
  The Indian Council for Research and International Economic Relations (ICRIER) will select a suitable candidate from a list of mid-career Japanese researchers. The Japanese researcher will carry out research on Japan-India affairs alongside an Indian counterpart (one researcher, three months).
- (2) Support for Indian researchers in Japan
  Support will be provided for two researchers, selected through open application, to visit Japan and conduct surveys.
Information dissemination activities
Reports on various events and summaries of the results of research activities will be published in print form and via the project Web site.
Japan survey visit and exchange of views to strengthen Japan-India relations
ICRIER staff will visit Japan to exchange views on the future of Japan-India relations with personnel of Japanese private research institutes and universities.

Project Content

Seminar on Japanese investment in Eastern India held in Kolkata, India

Minister Chatterjee giving his speech

The seminar titled “Japanese Investment in Eastern India: Trends and Prospects” was organized by the Japan Project at the Indian Council for Research and International Economic Relations (ICRIER) in collaboration with Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) on 30th August, 2011 at Kolkata. With the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between Japan and India having come into force on August 1st, 2011, and with H.E. Shri Partha Chatterjee, Minister Commerce and Industries, West Bengal Government playing the role of keynote speaker, the seminar provided an unparalleled opportunity to learn about contemporary Japan in Eastern India. For this reason, much interest was shown in the event, and the venue was almost totally full on the day.
For details of the seminar program, please refer to the following.

H.E. Mitsuo Kawaguchi, Consul General of Japan, Kolkata shaking hands with Minister Chatterjee

Project Results