Japan's 'Ja' and India's 'I' would signify "Jai Japan-Jai India": Shinzo Abe

Ahmedabad, Sept 14: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today advocated for a much stronger relationship between his country and India and said the bond is no longer confined to "bilateral paradigm". "Japan's 'Ja' and India's 'I' would jointly signify "Jai Japan-Jai India"," said Mr Abe addressing a mammoth gathering after jointly laying the foundation stone for Bullet Train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the Indo-Japan bond is now understood more from a "special, strategic and global partnership". Laying emphasis on India-Japan stronger ties in Asia Pacific context, he said both the countries value "democracy, human rights and rule of law" and hence would not appreciate the use of "force" for bringing about any changes or to disturb regional peace. "Both the countries favour regional peace and autonomy of various countries in Asia Pacific region. Both India and Japan want creation of jobs, but a development where people's wishes are respected. To make this fruitful, India and Japan will work more closely," Mr Abe said. At the grand ceremony attended among others by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Chief Ministers of Gujarat and Maharashtra -- Vijay Rupani and Devendra Fadnavis -- both the leaders more than once referred to their personal friendship. While speaking before Mr Modi, the visiting Japanese Prime Minister described Modi as his "dear friend" and a far-sighted leader, for his part his Indian counter part called Mr Abe "a karibi mitra (a very close friend)". "People do not get a bank like a country we have got," said Mr Modi referring to the Rs 88,000-crore soft loan given by Japanese agency JICA for the high-speed corridor and said the project inauguration (of work) could take place today as Mr Abe had taken personal interest. “India has a friend which has given it a loan of Rs 88,000-crore at 0.1 per cent interest for the bullet train and gave us a time of 50 years,” PM Modi said thanking Japan adding, “Ek prakar se mufat mein poora project banta jaa raha hai. (One way the country's first bullet train in coming up for free)." Mr Abe also said that Japanese technology has ensured over the years that high-speed train has experienced no accident and added, "Japan's cooperation will ensure that in India too trains would run safely". “My good friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a far-sighted leader. He took a decision two years ago to bring high-speed train in India and to create a new India,” he said adding, he would like to accompany PM Modi and travel in the bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad along with Indian Prime Minister. “I hope to enjoy the beautiful scenery of India through the windows of the bullet train when I come back here in a few years,” Abe said amid loud cheers for the visiting leader and also PM Mr Modi. Mr Modi also made a veiled attack on opposition and wondered why they were now questioning the introduction of the bullet train. Prime Minister insisted that henceforth development can come only in areas where there was high-speed corridor. UNI