India's Ambassador to Japan Nagma Mohamed Mallick (center) speaks during a panel discussion at the launch of the India–Japan Governors' Network on February 16, 2026, at the Indian Embassy in Tokyo. (©Embassy of India in Tokyo)
A new phase in Japan–India relations is emerging not in Tokyo or New Delhi, but across regional governments.
On February 16, governors, senior officials, and representatives from both countries gathered at the Indian Embassy in Tokyo to inaugurate the India–Japan Governors' Network, a framework aimed at deepening structured cooperation at the subnational level.
The initiative formalizes a trend already underway. Japanese prefectures have increasingly forged direct partnerships with Indian states to promote investment, industrial collaboration, academic exchange, and labor mobility.
Participants at the launch included Yamanashi, Tottori, Miyagi, Toyama, Iwate, and Shizuoka prefectures, each at varying stages of engagement with counterparts in India.
Expanding Strategic Partnership
India's ambassador to Japan, Nagma Mohamed Mallick, placed the network within the broader trajectory of bilateral ties, which were elevated to a Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014.
"India and Japan have had a strong, special, strategic, and global partnership since 2014," she said, noting that cooperation now spans defense, economic security, culture, and people-to-people exchange.
She described prefecture–state ties as "a particularly valuable" dimension of the relationship. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she added, has made such cooperation "a key pillar of our next-generation partnership," meeting 16 Japanese governors in 2025 alone, while chief ministers from eight Indian states also visited Japan that same year.
Governor Kotaro Nagasaki of Yamanashi, who spearheaded the initiative, characterized the network as an evolution beyond traditional sister-region agreements.
"In recent years, this partnership has expanded beyond the national level, with direct connections growing between Indian states and Japanese prefectures," he said. "To fully harness this potential, multiple local governments must collaborate."
Gateway Model and Economic Synergies
At the core of the new framework is what organizers call a "gateway" model. Each participating prefecture shares business and institutional opportunities arising from its Indian partnerships with other members of the network. Companies in one prefecture can thus access projects or investment leads developed through another state-level relationship.
Yamanashi, for instance, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Uttar Pradesh on green hydrogen and is planning a joint center of excellence with IIT Kanpur, a public institute of technology in Uttar Pradesh. Tottori Prefecture, meanwhile, is seeking to team up with other prefectures to promote Japanese sake exports to India.
Labor mobility is another driving force. Japan faces an accelerating demographic contraction and acute labor shortages in manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and care services. In response, the central government has expanded foreign worker visa categories and regional recruitment schemes, while prefectures pursue their own partnerships.
"Our economy and our demography are complementary… While Japan has undoubted strengths in manufacturing and technology, India provides skill, talent, and market like no other," Mallick said.
And these complementarities are shaping initiatives across the country. Shizuoka has cultivated ties with Gujarat, including agreements linking Hamamatsu and Ahmedabad as well as academic memorandums with Indian institutions.
Iwate and Miyagi are exploring collaboration with India's growing semiconductor ecosystem, while Toyama has established a dedicated India Economic Desk to support companies seeking entry into the Indian market.
Driving Investment Push
The emphasis on prefectural diplomacy reflects Japan's decentralized industrial structure. Much of the country's manufacturing strength lies in regional clusters of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). For both governments, connecting these clusters with India's expanding market is a strategic priority.
Yuji Ando, Senior Director for Global Strategy (Southwest Asia) at the Japan External Trade Organization, said the latest initiative mirrors trends already unfolding in the private sector.
"Japanese firms increasingly see India not just as a sales market but as a long-term production and innovation base," Ando said. "Many of the companies exploring India are headquartered in regional prefectures. Close coordination between state governments and prefectural authorities lowers barriers and accelerates decision-making."
While acknowledging uneven levels of enthusiasm toward India across Japanese regions, Ando added that manpower shortages remain a universal challenge at home, while regulatory reforms and infrastructure upgrades in India are drawing a broader range of investors.
Deepening Local Connections
Looking ahead, Mallick suggested cooperation should extend beyond trade and technology to sectors that resonate more visibly with local communities, such as unique tourism assets.
Yamanashi Governor framed the ambition in practical terms. The goal, he said, is to build multi-layered connections between Japanese prefectures and Indian states that generate tangible projects, shared investment, and sustained people-to-people exchange.
Quoting Modi's phrase "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," or "One World, One Family," Tottori Governor Shinji Hirai expressed hope that local leadership ties would anchor the partnership's next stage.
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Author: Kenji Yoshida
