JGU VC Addresses Japanese Parliament

At the invitation of the Japanese Parliamentary Committee of the World Federation, the founding vice chancellor of OP Jindal Global University (JGU), Professor (Dr) C Raj Kumar addressed a caucus of over 20 members of the Japanese Parliament (National Diet), which also included the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Government of Japan, Masahito Moriyama. Prof Raj Kumar is also the first Indian vice chancellor to be invited to speak at the Japanese Parliament for addressing the  MPs and public officials of the Government of Japan.

The Japanese Parliamentary Committee of the World Federation had invited Prof Kumar to share his views on issues relating to India’s national education policy, bilateral relations, development agenda and global governance. The committee comprised the members of the house of representatives of the Japanese Parliament and other public officials: Mitsuo Ohashi, Chairman, Japanese Parliamentary Committee of the World Federatio; Professor Masakuni Tanimoto, Under Secretary General, Japanese Parliamentary Committee of the World Federation; Kiyoshi Odawara, State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Japan; HE Makoto Hayashi, Deputy Assistant Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Takahiro Kanamori, Representative, Friends of the United Nations, Asia-Pacific; Dr Hirobumi Niki, Member of the House of Representatives, Liberal Democratic Party; Dr Masahito Moriyama, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan; Seishiro Eto, Member of the House of Representatives, Former Vice Speaker, House of Representatives; Motoko Mizuno, Member, House of Councillors, The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan; Satoshi Asano, Member of the House of Representatives, Democratic Party for the People; Kenta Aoshima, Member of the House of Councillors; Ayaka Shiomura, Member of the House of Councillors; Makoto Hayashi, Deputy Assistant Minister & Ambassador, ASEAN, Asian & Oceanian Bureau & Southeast & Southwest Asian Affairs Department and Dr Sukehiro Hasegawa, Chairman, Japan Advisory Committee on Global Governance & Former Special Representative, Secretary-General, United Nations for Timor-Leste.

Kumar delivered a speech on the Indo-Japan relationship, framing it as a cornerstone for collective progress and prosperity. “The India-Japan relationship is undoubtedly the most important and critical relationship in the Indo-Pacific region.” He articulated five key points, encapsulating the historical, cultural, economic, political and strategic dimensions of the bilateral ties between India and Japan. “We have deep-rooted ties between India and Japan, stemming from shared civilisational values and cultural heritage, including the profound influence of Buddhism as a religion and philosophy in both the countries,” he said.