NEW DELHI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi on Monday departed on a four-day official visit (October 14 to 17) to Japan, marking a significant step in bolstering the defence cooperation between India and Japan. The COAS is scheduled to meet senior military leadership of Japan and the officials of the Indian Embassy in Japan. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) in a statement said, “The visit by General Upendra Dwivedi aims at strengthening military cooperation between militaries of India and Japan besides exploring new avenues of collaboration between the two nations.” On Monday General Upendra Dwivedi held an interaction with Sibi George, Indian Ambassador to Japan and thereafter engaged in discussion on India-Japan relations at the Embassy of India, Tokyo. Beginning from October 15, Gen. Dwivedi will be holding meetings with the military leadership in addition to visiting the military establishments of the Japanese Self Defence Forces. “The COAS will engage in dialogues with the senior military leadership of Japan at the MoD in Ichigaya. The meetings are planned with Gen Yoshida Yoshihide, Chief of Staff, Joint Self Defence Force; Gen Morishita Yasunori, Chief of Staff, Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF); Mr Ishikawa Takeshi, Commissioner of Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA).”, the MoD informed. “The discussions will be aimed at fostering stronger military cooperation between India and Japan.”, it added. General Upendra Dwivedi will also pay homage at the Memorial at MoD, Ichigaya and will be given a Guard of Honour by the JGSDF. The itinerary also includes an interaction with the senior hierarchy of JGSDF and a visit to the National Institute of Defence Studies. Next day, on October 16, General Dwivedi, accompanied by Gen Morishita Yasunori, will visit Fuji School, wherein he will engage in a conversation with Lt. Gen Kodama Yasuyuki, Commanding Gen of Fuji School. “The COAS will be given a briefing at the School and he will also witness an Equipment and Facility Display.” On the final day, October 17, the COAS will visit Hiroshima, wherein he will lay a wreath at Hiroshima Peace Park and pay floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi’s Statue at the Peace Park.
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