Guwahati (Assam) [India], May 4 (ANI): A Japanese Parliamentary delegation, led by the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan, Nukaga Fukushiro, met with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday.

The Chief Minister said that the visit of the delegation points towards closer convergence of interests between Japan and Assam, in alignment with India's Act East Policy.

'I had the distinct honour to welcome H.E. Mr. Nukaga Fukushiro, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan and his distinguished delegation, at Lok Sewa Bhawan today. This hugely significant visit points to closer convergence of interests between Japan and the State of Assam, in alignment with India's Act East Policy,' Sarma said in a post on X.

The Chief Minister said that his visit to Tokyo earlier this year and the Advantage Assam 2.0 had set the tone for close economic, cultural and people-to-people engagement between Japan and Assam.

'My visit to Tokyo earlier this year and #AdvantageAssam2 had set the tone for close economic, cultural and people to people engagement between Japan and Assam. During our discussions we spoke at length on laying a strong foundation that will enable Japanese institutions to partner with Assam, innovate and grow with us,' the Chief Minister said.

On Friday, the Japanese Parliamentary Delegation met with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. During the meeting, Nukaga Fukushiro strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed Japan's steadfast support for India's fight against terrorism.

'Nukaga Fukushiro strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed Japan's steadfast support for India's fight against terrorism. Birla appreciated the leadership of Japan for expressing solidarity with India on the Pahalgam terrorist attack and emphasised that in the current global scenario, friendship between India and Japan is essential for global peace, prosperity and stability,' An official release read.

Birla also welcomed the Japanese proposal to provide opportunities to more than 50,000 skilled Indian human resources in various sectors in Japan. He appreciated Japan for providing more opportunities to Indian students in the country and thanked Japan for its assurance of support in the infrastructure development of India's North East region.

Noting that last year, India completed the golden journey of 75 years of the Constitution, Birla mentioned that the Constitution has played an important role in India's progress and development. Under the guidance of the Constitution, the country made large-scale socio-economic changes after independence and has kept public welfare at top priority, he added.

Referring to legislations like 'Disability Rights Act-2016' and 'The Transgender Persons Act, 2019', Birla opined that these laws have significantly contributed to connecting the last person of society to the mainstream.

He informed the delegation that 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' has been passed to increase women's participation in our legislative process and build a modern, balanced, and progressive society. This act provides for reservation of seats for women in the Union and State Legislatures.

He also informed that the Indian Parliament has increased the use of Digital Technology and AI to improve transparency in its functioning, make it accessible to the public, and increase efficiency, which has yielded positive results. He expressed eagerness to share these experiences with the Parliament of Japan. (ANI)