Kolkata
Japan’s consul general in Kolkata, Nakagawa Koichi, on Saturday highlighted the robust economic ties between India and Japan, stating that approximately 1,400 Japanese companies are currently operating in India. This significant presence underscores the growing bilateral relationship, which has seen Japan become India’s fifth-largest foreign investor. Koichi noted that between 2000 and 2024, Japan has invested nearly USD 42 billion in India through foreign direct investment (FDI).
Koichi emphasized that the modern relationship between the two countries began to take shape in the early 20th century, driven by cultural and intellectual exchanges between prominent figures such as Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Rashbehari Bose. These exchanges laid the foundation for the enduring connection that exists today.
The consul general also spoke about Justice Radhabinod Pal, an Indian jurist who is renowned for his dissenting opinion during the 1948 International Military Tribunal of the Far East. Pal’s dissent questioned the legitimacy of the tribunal’s trials of Japanese soldiers following World War II. Koichi acknowledged Justice Pal’s pivotal role in fostering the deep and lasting relationship between India and Japan.
At the event, Supreme Court judge Justice P S Narshimha praised the importance of dissent, calling it essential for providing counter-narratives and highlighting the limitations of legal processes. Justice Dipankar Datta added that dissent offers alternative viewpoints, showing the importance of differing legal interpretations in complex cases. This discussion underscored the broader historical and contemporary significance of Justice Pal’s dissenting opinion.
