Shillong: Meghalaya is expanding its partnership with Japan, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said on Friday, noting that the collaboration now covers job creation, agricultural projects, skill development, and infrastructure.
He was speaking at the sixth India–Japan Intellectual Conclave, themed “Kizuna,” a Japanese term that conveys the idea of enduring connections. Sangma said cooperation between India and Japan is anchored in shared democratic principles and long-term economic collaboration.
Outlining ongoing initiatives, the chief minister said Meghalaya’s approach gives equal importance to capacity building and development projects. Forty-seven nurses from the state are currently working in Japan.
After his April 2025 visit to the country, the state entered into an agreement with a Japanese company to prepare and send 500 youths for jobs this year.
The target is to expand this initiative to 5,000 placements over five years. A separate partnership has also been arranged to support skilled workers seeking opportunities in Japan. To support aspirants, a Japanese language institute has been opened in Shillong.
In the farming sector, a production unit in Upper Shillong has started manufacturing shiitake mushroom blocks using Japanese expertise and market linkages. The facility has an annual capacity of around 1.5 lakh blocks and is expected to generate income opportunities for more than 1,000 cultivators.
The government is also studying the feasibility of producing sake from local rice varieties in collaboration with a Japanese brewing company.
Sangma also spoke about Meghalaya’s collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency, which has supported several development initiatives in the state. Through the MegLIFE programme, forest restoration work is being carried out across 22,500 hectares in 11 districts, covering about 500 villages.
Assistance from the agency is also being used to modernise the Umiam hydropower facilities and to support the construction of a nearly 19-kilometre bridge connecting Dhubri in Assam with Phulwari.
Noting that a large share of Meghalaya’s population is under 35, the chief minister proposed creating a structured Meghalaya–Japan Skill Corridor to link young people from the state with Japan’s technological ecosystem.
He added that cultural exchanges are also strengthening ties, pointing to the Japanese showcase at the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival over the past two years.
Sangma invited Japanese investors and academic institutions to explore collaboration in areas such as green economy models, climate-responsive development, advanced technology, agriculture and eco-tourism.
The conclave was attended by officials including Ono Keiichi, N J Gangte of the Ministry of External Affairs, Takuro Takeuchi and representatives of JICA India.