Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed 13 students and faculty members from Japan's Yamanashi Prefecture at his official residence in Lucknow on Friday, in an interaction focused on cultural understanding and people-to-people relations.

The programme, titled “A Dialogue with the Future,” brought together the visiting Japanese delegation and students from schools in Lucknow. Yamanashi Governor Kotaro Nagasaki also participated in the engagement.

Adityanath began the interaction with Japanese greetings, including “Ohayo gozaimasu” and “Arigato gozaimasu”, setting a relaxed tone for the meeting.

Focus on shared values

During the interaction, the Chief Minister spoke about the cultural links between India and Japan and pointed to values such as social harmony and mutual respect that connect the two societies.

He also referred to the Indian philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, or the idea that the world constitutes one family, while emphasising the role of young people in strengthening international relationships.

The Japanese students presented origami creations as gifts during the meeting, with the paper art carrying a message of peace and friendship.

The interaction was not limited to formal discussions. Students and the Chief Minister also posed for photographs, exchanged smiles and joined in light-hearted moments, including peace-sign gestures and selfies.

Youth at the centre of India-Japan ties

The meeting was held in the broader context of the UP-Japan Investment Meet, which seeks to strengthen economic and institutional cooperation between Uttar Pradesh and Japan.

The cultural engagement also comes ahead of 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Japan next year, giving added significance to efforts aimed at building connections among younger generations.

The interaction underlined how student exchanges and informal cultural encounters can complement official diplomatic and economic engagements.

By bringing Indian and Japanese students together, the programme offered a platform for young people to learn about each other's cultures and develop relationships that could extend beyond formal government ties.