'Modi San Welcome': PM Modi Joins Japan's Shigeru Ishiba On Bullet Train Ride To Sendai

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a bullet train ride from Tokyo with his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba on Saturday to reach Sendai. Before beginning the journey, PM Modi met the Indian train drivers currently training at East Japan Railway Company. At Sendai, PM Modi was welcomed with the chants of 'Modi San welcome'.

Japanese PM Ishiba shared pictures from the bullet train ride on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and captioned it as,“With Prime Minister Modi to Sendai. Continuing from last night, I will be with you in the car."

PM Modi and Ishiba also discussed cooperation in wide-ranging areas , he said in a post on X.

"Republic of India. Summit meeting with Prime Minister Modi. We discussed cooperation across a wide range of areas, including defence and the economy. Tomorrow, I will join you for the inspection of the Shinkansen and semiconductor-related matters," Ishiba said.

The two leaders also observed the new ALFA-X train, which is deemed to be the world's fastest-ever bullet train - capable of reaching 400 kms per hour (249 mph). They were briefed about the bullet train by the chairman of East Japan Railway Company, also called 'JR East', the train operator.

“Observed the new ALFA-X train from the window, with an explanation provided by the chairman of JR East,” wrote Ishiba on his X account, along with attaching pictures from the ride in the post.

Several Indian train drivers currently training in Japan with JR East lined up to greet PM Modi on Saturday prior to his train ride.

“Greetings with the Indian train drivers currently training at JR East,” Ishiba captioned the picture on X.

PM Modi also posted about the bullet ride ride on his X account, along with attaching pictures from his visit being accompanied by his Japanese counterpart Ishiba.

“Reached Sendai. Travelled with PM Ishiba to this city on the Shinkansen,” Modi wrote.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day official visit to Japan for the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

Japan's big bet on India

Japan plans to invest 10 trillion Japanese yen (nearly ₹6 trillion) in India over the next decade, as PM Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba signed long-term agreements in various areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors , rare earth minerals, as well as carbon credits, said a Mint report earlier.

India is working to strengthen its economic ties with Japan and other trading partners, including China, amid economic turbulence caused by the United States' 50% tariffs on Indian goods for its oil imports from Russia, the news report added.

Other than the investments, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also notified on Friday, August 29, 2025, that Japan is planning to hire 50,000 'skilled and semi-skilled' personnel from India over the next five years as part of its bigger agenda of exchanging 500,000 people, reported the news agency ANI.

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