At the invitation of the Japanese Parliamentary Committee of the
World Federation, the founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal
Global University, Professor (Dr.) C Raj Kumar addressed a caucus
of over 20 distinguished Members of the Japanese Parliament
(National Diet), which also included the Hon’ble Minister of
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Government of
Japan, Mr. Masahito Moriyama. Prof. Raj Kumar is also the first
Indian Vice Chancellor to be invited to speak at the Japanese
Parliament, addressing distinguished MPs and public officials of
the Government of Japan.
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Professor (Dr) C. Raj Kumar, Founding VC,
O.P. Jindal Global University, India at the Japanese National
Parliament in Tokyo, Japan on 23 April 2024. (Photo: Business
Wire)
During the visit, several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs)
were formalized, marking significant milestones in fostering
academic cooperation between JGU and leading Japanese universities
which include: University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi Gakuin
University, Ryukoku University, Kwansei Gakuin University’
Kansai Gaidai University, Ritsumeikan University, and Hiroshima
University.
The Japanese Parliamentary Committee of the World Federation
invited Prof. Kumar to share his views relating to India’s national
education policy, bilateral relations, development agenda and
global governance. The committee included Mr. Mitsuo Ohashi,
Chairman, Japanese Parliamentary Committee of the World Federation,
Professor Masakuni Tanimoto, Under Secretary General, Japanese
Parliamentary Committee of the World Federation, Mr. Kiyoshi
Odawara, State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Japan, H.E. Mr. Makoto
Hayashi, Deputy Assistant Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Mr. Takahiro Kanamori, Representative, Friends of the United
Nations, Asia-Pacific, Dr. Hirobumi Niki, Member of the House of
Representatives, Liberal Democratic Party, Dr. Masahito Moriyama,
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of
Japan, Mr. Seishiro Eto, Member of the House of Representatives,
Former Vice Speaker, House of Representatives, Ms. Motoko Mizuno,
Member, House of Councillors, The Constitutional Democratic Party
of Japan, Mr. Satoshi Asano, Member of the House of
Representatives, Democratic Party for the People, Mr. Kenta
Aoshima, Member of the House of Councillors, Ms. Ayaka Shiomura,
Member of the House of Councillors, Mr. Makoto Hayashi, Deputy
Assistant Minister & Ambassador, ASEAN, Asian and Oceanian
Bureau and Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs Department and Dr.
Sukehiro Hasegawa, Chairman, Japan Advisory Committee on Global
Governance.
Prof. Kumar delivered a speech on the Indo-Japan relationship as
a cornerstone for collective progress and prosperity. “India and
Japan have shared civilizational values and cultural heritage,
including the profound influence of Buddhism as a religion and
philosophy in our countries. This relationship is the most
important and critical relationship in the Indo-Pacific region.
Japan has a pivotal role in ensuring peace, stability, and
sustainability in the region with long-term cooperation between
India and Japan to address shared challenges towards peace,
development and security in the Indo-Pacific region,” he said.
Prof. Kumar recalled the outstanding courage of conviction and
intellectual integrity of the distinguished Indian jurist, Hon’ble
Mr. Justice Radha Binod Pal, former Judge of the International
Military Tribunal for the Far East for his contribution to equity,
justice and fairness in Tokyo Trials by ensuring that international
criminal justice does not perpetuate the “Victor’s Justice”
phenomenon.
Prof. Kumar emphasized the alignment of democratic principles,
rule of law and respect for human rights, emphasizing the
convergence of enlightened national interests and democratic values
between the two nations and underscored India's demographic
dividend manifested through a billion people who are less than 35
years of age, with a burgeoning youth population poised to
collaborate with their Japanese counterparts for mutual growth and
development.
The speech generated lively interest and discussion among the
Japanese MPs. In response to their questions and perspectives,
Prof. Kumar expounded on India and Japan's joint endeavours within
the United Nations, advocating for their permanent representation
in the Security Council and the reform of the UN. Further, he
reiterated India's steadfast commitment to higher education,
emphasizing the principles of excellence, equity, and inclusion as
outlined in India’s National Education Policy 2020. Prof. Kumar
also highlighted that these principles find manifestation through
our commitment to excellence, diversity and access by offering
scholarships and institutional support to our students. Prof. Kumar
observed that universities such as JGU and other reputed higher
education institutions in India foster an environment conducive to
promote research excellence and innovation among our faculty for
institution building.
In conclusion, Prof. Kumar reiterated the transformative
potential of Indo-Japanese relations that need to be built on the
expansion of educational partnerships between universities in both
the countries. He expressed optimism about the future trajectory of
Indo-Japanese collaboration in higher education, envisioning a
landscape defined by excellence in research and scholarship, and
the creation of knowledge through leadership in promoting frugal
innovation.
It is notable that the meeting, that was held at the Japanese
National Parliament, Diet, was attended by Mr. Masahito Moriyama,
Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and
Technology who also shared his reflections on the India-Japan
relations.
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Media Contact: Anjoo Mohun amohun@jgu.edu.in