From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Sep 10: Japan is keen to have a direct flight between Bangalore and Tokyo with the presence of more than 270 companies in Karnataka.

Eikei Suzuki, Governor of Mie Prefecture, a province of Japan, expressed the demand of Japanese trade and industry representatives for a direct flight between Bangalore and Tokyo.

''We are looking forward to have a direct air connectivity between Bangalore and Tokyo to reduce travelling time,” he said after signing a Memorandum of Understanding on trade and investment with Karnataka on Tuesday

Karnataka’s Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee and Eikei Suzuki signed the MoU in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Industries and Commerce Department Principal Secretary RathnaPrabha.

Two prominent Japanese companies Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Elevators are setting up their base in Karnataka, the chief minister said.

Siddaramaiah said the State government would hold talks with Union Civil Aviation Ministry to establish direct flight between Bangalore and Tokyo.

He said the State was housing around 270 Japanese companies, including Toyota, Amada, Casio, Denso, Dentsu, and Indo-Nisan and sought more Japanese investment in various sectors.

Karnataka is holding Global Investors’ Meet next year.

Honda’s largest two-wheeler manufacturing plant in the world has come up in Narasapur in Kolar.

“We are looking at the possibility of having a Japanese township in VasanthaNarasapura in Tumkur district,” the Chief Minister said.

The MoU would strengthen ties between two states in Information and Communication Technology, automotive, automation, electronics, aerospace, skill development, renewable energy, medical equipment, pharmaceutical industries, waste management and service and technology.

The State Chief Secretary and Commerce and Industries Commissioner Maheshwara Rao would visit Japan for six days from September 14 to hold meeting with Chief Executive Officers of various companies and Japanese government to attract investment to Karnataka.

Siddaramaiah said Japanese government was partnering with the State Government in development of major projects such as Chennai-Bangalore Industrial Corridor, Bangalore Metro Rail, Bangalore Peripheral Ring Road and Feasibility study for world class Japanese Industrial Zone in the State.