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Japanese Ambassador to India, Ono Keiichi, suddenly started speaking fluently in Gujarati during an event in Gujarat’s Hansalpur, drawing PM Modi’s admiration.
PM Modi reacts to Japan Ambassador Ono Keiichi’s Gujarat speech. (BJP Gujarat)
Japanese Ambassador to India, Ono Keiichi, won hearts on social media after fluently speaking in Gujarati in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an event on the launch of green mobility initiatives in Hansalpur, Gujarat.
PM Modi inaugurated Maruti Suzuki’s electric vehicle (EV) and battery plant in Hansalpur, and also launched Maruti Suzuki’s first electric vehicle, the e-Vitara, and said it will be exported to over a hundred countries. He extended his heartfelt congratulations to all citizens of India and Japan, as well as to the Suzuki Motor Corporation.
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While making his remarks at the event, Ono Keiichi suddenly started speaking fluently in Gujarati, completely changing the atmosphere of the event. He started addressing people with “Namaste Mitron! Kem Chho! (Namaste people. How are you?).”
“Mera naam Keiichi Ono chhe ane hu Japanese Rajdoot chhu. (My name is Keiichi Ono, and I am the Ambassador of Japan),” he said, drawing smiles from the audience and PM Modi.
The clip quickly went viral on social media, with people widely appreciating the Japanese ambassador’s effort. Prime Minister Modi also reacted, saying the India-Japan relationship was “made for each other”.
“The relationship between India and Japan is beyond just diplomatic relations; it is a cultural and trust based relationship. We see our progress in each other’s progress. The journey we started with Maruti Suzuki has now reached the speed of a bullet train,” PM Modi said at the event.
PM Modi is set to visit Japan on August 29-30. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to participate in a business leaders’ forum involving top industry representatives from both countries. “The visit will reaffirm the longstanding special bond of friendship between the two countries,” the MEA said.
He would convene his first annual summit with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and it is also his first standalone visit to Japan in nearly seven years. The two PMs will deliberate on cooperation in the areas of defence and security, trade and economy, technology and innovation, and people-to-people exchanges, as well as discuss issues of regional and global importance.
From Japan, Modi will fly to the Chinese port city of Tianjin for the summit of the regional security bloc Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), his first visit to China in more than seven years. The PM is set to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO summit.
About the Author
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
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Gujarat, India, India
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