Why in the news ?

• At the joint meeting of the India-­Japan Business Cooperation Committee organised by industry bodies FICCI and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Japanese ambassador said there was plenty of room to expand India-­Japan ties, especially in food processing.

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• Along with the food processing, he said there is room for urban development, environment and sanitation as well as medicine.
• However, he wanted the Indian government to address the concerns of Japanese firms including on taxation, financial regulation and infrastructure.
• The area of urban development, Japan was helping India in developing Chennai, Ahmedabad and Varanasi as smart cities.
• Japan is also helping India to build a better infrastructure in strategically important north-eastern states.
• He said the other priority areas for cooperation included water supply, sewage treatment, natural disaster management techniques, internet of things, articial intelligence, robotics, startups and industrial corridors
• Japanese firms have been pitching, among other things, for improved infrastructure in India, uninterrupted power supply, reduction of Goods and Services Tax on hybrid and electric cars, easing foreign currency norms, including on external commercial borrowings.

Source

·         The Hindu.