Full potential of India-Japan ties still untapped

There are heads of state and then there are those who are ‘symbols of the state'. The Emperor and Empress of Japan belong to the latter. They do not govern the country but reign over their people, who do not elect them or even adore them — but worship them. In fact, even though Emperor Hirohito officially renounced his divinity after the Second World War, the Japanese people still revere his son who is the ruling monarch astenno or the divine emperor. Understanding the exalted position of the royal couple in Japanese society is key to appreciating the landmark nature of Emperor Akihito and his wife Empress Michiko's visit to India, starting November 30. The six-day long tour is possibly the strongest indicator from the land of the rising sun of the importance that it attaches to its relations with New Delhi. Tokyo charts travels of the royal couple keeping in mind the country's foreign policy interests, and overseas trips are carefully prioritised given the advancing age of the Emperor and Empress. The India trip is their only foreign commitment this year; some say it may be their last. If this is indeed the case, then the visit is particularly well-timed. From a personal point of view, it gives the royal couple a wonderful opportunity to look back and walk down memory lane to 1960 when they, as the Crown Prince and Princess of Japan, first visited the country while on their honeymoon. From a political point of view, it is a potent gesture for the future — a tremendous boost to bilateral ties that have been not only rejuvenated in the past couple of years but are on a steep upward trajectory since the election of the staunchly pro-India Shinzo Abe as the Prime Minister of Japan in December 2012.

Ever since New Delhi and Tokyo signed the Strategic and Global Partnership in 2006, the India-Japan bilateral has been one of the fast-growing in Asia. Japan has emerged as one of India's most important development partners, having supported several mega-infrastructure projects such as the Western Freight Corridor, the Delhi-Mumbai and the Chennai-Bangalore industrial corridors, and the Metro rail systems in Bangalore and Delhi. Trade between the two countries has also grown exponentially — it hit $18.61 billion in 2012-2013 — with the free trade agreement coming into effect in 2011. Strategically, the two are cooperating against the backdrop of a rising China to ensure that the Indo-Pacific remains free and open for business. There is also increased political engagement with several institutionalised dialogue mechanisms between Defence, Foreign and Trade Ministers. Additionally, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Japan earlier this year and Prime Minister Abe is expected to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations in 2014.  

But the India-Japan bilateral still functions below its full potential. For instance, the proposed civilian nuclear deal has made little progress, and there is scope for increased defence collaboration that must be explored, especially with Japan finally shedding its pacific orientation. Similarly, few Japanese private investors choose India as a business destination (they prefer South Korea or China) while only a handful of Indian students and tourists travel to Japan.