Chandrababu's invitation to Japanese PM for Amaravati's foundation ceremony

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo and invited him to the foundation stone laying ceremony of state's new capital Amaravati. Naidu said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would also write to Abe inviting him for the ceremony to be held in October this year.

Abe assured Naidu that Japan will extend all technical and possible financial assistance to for infrastructure development and building of capital, said an official statement here. The chief minister also made a request for making some institutionalised arrangement for AP-Japan relationship, to which Abe agreed.

On the second day of his visit, Naidu also met with Akihiro Ohta of the ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism (MLIT). Ohta said since Andhra Pradesh is constructing a new capital, MLIT is keen to extend cooperation in roads and buildings and infrastructure. Naidu sought MLIT's cooperation in building AP's ports, airports and roads.

Naidu also called on Tatsufumi Sakai, managing executive officer and head of international banking unit at Mizuho Bank, the second largest bank in Japan. He invited Mizuho Bank to set up their India headquarters in Amaravati. "We are planning to make our capital a financial hub," he said. Later, an MoU was signed between the bank and Andhra Pradesh.

The chief minister also met Soft Bank founder and CEO Masayoshi Son, who conveyed to him that Soft Bank will manufacture solar panels under 'Make in India' initiative and set up their manufacturing unit in Andhra Pradesh. Soft Bank has also come forward to sponsor scholarships to engineering students who are willing to specialize in solar power engineering. Son said that he will make a personal donation to the proposed 'Renewable Energy University' in Andhra Pradesh.