GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday, June 9, indicated that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will visit Guwahati in early July for a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking to the media after the launch of the Blue Valley Cluster—an initiative focused on flavours, fragrances and AYUSH collaboration between Assam and the European Union—Sarma said, “During July 1–3, there is a possibility of the Japan Prime Minister visiting Guwahati along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
The Chief Minister's remarks come amid growing speculation and media reports over the past few days regarding a possible visit by the Japanese Prime Minister to Assam.
The proposed engagement is expected to focus significantly on strengthening Japanese investments in the Northeast, a region that has emerged as a key component of India's Act East Policy.
The most recent India-Japan Annual Summit was held in Tokyo in August 2025.
Takaichi assumed office as Japan's Prime Minister on October 21, 2025. Both leaders met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, on November 23, 2025.
Japan has been a major partner in the upliftment of the northeast, supporting projects related to infrastructure, connectivity, urban development and talent mobility. The region has received significant assistance from Japan aimed at improving economic integration and enhancing links with neighbouring countries.
A high-profile India-Japan summit in Guwahati had previously been planned in 2019, when then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Modi. However, the visit was cancelled amid widespread protests and unrest over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
The northeastern states have been a priority under India's Act East Policy, which seeks to strengthen economic cooperation, cultural ties and strategic partnership with countries in the Asia-Pacific region while enhancing connectivity with neighbouring countries.
