WATCH | 'Have One Message For Indian People...': Ambassador Suzuki Pitches Japan as Go-To Place For Study, Work

Japanese ambassador to India, Hiroshi F Suzuki on Monday urged Indian youth to consider studying and working in Japan, underlining the ease of obtaining visas and the abundance of skill training and job opportunities available.

Appearing in a video posted by Hindi-speaking YouTuber Mayo san, ambassador Suzuki said, “I have one message for Indian people, particularly, to young people of India. Please go to Japan to study and work. If you are a student, it’s so easy to get a visa."

Relaxation of visas for Indian students was first announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Japan visit in November 2016. Under this programme, students, graduate students, and alumni of universities in India were allowed to submit a certificate of student status or graduation. This provided an alternative to the need for a document confirming financial capability when applying for a single-entry visa for short-term tourism purposes.

The ease of visa requirement was aimed to further advance people-to-people exchanges with India, including an increase in young visitors. “If you are a student, all you have to do is present your student ID. I am encouraging young Indian people to go to Japan to get skill training and job opportunities," the Japanese envoy said.

Suzuki, a career diplomat, served as ex-PM Shinzo Abe’s executive secretary from 2012-2020. Regarded as a member of Abe’s inner circle, he sat in more than a dozen bilateral meetings between Abe and Modi in those seven-and-half years. Ambassador Suzuki is often seen in viral videos, dancing to the tunes of popular Bollywood tracks, and enjoying Indian cuisine.

When asked about his favourite Indian food in the YouTube interview, the Japanese envoy said, “I am impressed with so many delicious foods across India. But what impressed me most was Misal Pav in Pune. I had a competition with my wife who can eat more spicy food. My wife completely beat me. The video clip was retweeted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi."

During the interview, Ambassador Suzuki revealed that he loved visiting Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan and the “moonlight plucking" of tea leaves in Darjeeling. “There are so many places that I have not visited," he added. On a question about a big difference between the two countries, the envoy said, “For me, (it’s) language because in Japan we have dialects but we have the same writing. In India, there are so many different writings." Drawing a comparison between India and Japan, the envoy described Indian hospitality as “exceptional," akin to its own culture of “Omotenashi."