The second edition of the Rising Sun Conclave successfully concluded earlier this week. The insightful initiative by the Connect India Japan team hosts annual events that serves as a powerful platform to strengthen bilateral ties between Asian democratic giants and emerging global powers – India and Japan. It brought together policymakers, business leaders, and cultural ambassadors at the India International Centre.
With her rich over two decades of experience living in Japan, Nupur Tewari, the founder of Connect India Japan led the event from the forefront. In an emotional speech, the Indian entrepreneur and cultural ambassador explained the dream behind the launch of her geopolitical initiative – Connect India Japan. It has been frequently hosting such conclaves and events to foster bilateral ties between India and Japan through meaningful collaborations in business, culture, and diplomacy.
What’s the idea behind Connect India Japan?
It has been playing an instrumental role in strengthening India-Japan business ties. Its key initiatives include bilingual magazine CIJ Today. Through a dedicated news portal and an insightful podcast series, the CIJ creates opportunities for deeper engagement between prominent personalities of the two nations.
It helps professionals in navigating careers in both countries by providing them practical support in areas like market entry, legal and strategic consulting, real estate, tourism, and employment assistance.
The National Anthems of India and Japan marked the beginning of the event which was followed by a traditional Odissi dance performance. CIJ founder, Nupur Tewari officially kicked off the discussion after delivering a passionate keynote address.
The major highlights of the insightful Conclave included the presentation of the India-Japan Excellence Awards. A first-of-its-kind recognition, the award celebrates individuals who have contributed significantly in strengthening the bilateral ties. The awards were bestowed by Former Union Cabinet Minister and Senior BJP leader Smriti Irani. She also engaged in a candid chat on how the two countries can collaborate going ahead.
This Year’s Awardees Included:
Ambassador Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa, Chairperson, India-Japan Friendship Forum
Dhanesh Kumar Jain, Chairman Emeritus, Lumax-DK Jain Group
Kenji Nakajima, Founder, Manami Restaurant
Key attendees gracing the Conclave included Takashi Ariyoshi, Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM), Embassy of Japan in India. He shared his insights on the evolving partnership between the two nations.
Also Read: Rising Sun Conclave 2025: Celebrating India-Japan Synergy and Shared Success
Other notable dignitaries included:
Ambassador Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa, Former Indian Ambassador to Japan
Ambassador Sanjay Kumar Verma, Former Indian Ambassador to Japan
Ambassador Raj Srivastava, Former Indian Ambassador to Croatia
Honorable Ambassador Sibi George, India’s Ambassador to Japan (via video message)
Key highlights of the Conclave
The Conclave witnessed thought-provoking conversations across five key themes:
Spirituality: From Dhyan to Zen
Mohanji explored the intersection of mindfulness in India and Japan.
Business & Investments
Deepak Jain (LUMAX), Dr. Gurpreet Sandhu (REVA PHARMA), and Hidefumi Kasagi (Hero Honda) discussed investment trends and Indo-Japanese collaborations.
Media & Geopolitics
Ramnik Singh Mann, Dr. Anand Ranganathan, Tehseen Poonawalla, and Abhijit Iyer Mitra shared their perspective on how media influences public perception in global affairs and India-Japan relations.
The Power of Human Connections
Further at the Conclave, Dr. Ashok Kumar Chawla, Rahul Bapat, Tomio Isogai, and Sudhir Jaiswal highlighted the role of people-to-people diplomacy in fostering international ties.
Tourism and Business Travel
Hiroyuki Mitsuhashi (ANA), Vaibhav Mittal (IHCL), Kojiro Honda (Hirohama India), and Ms. Akiyama Mizuho shared insights on how to expand collaborations in the field of hospitality and airline.
Building Bridges for the Future
The conclave successfully concluded with an exclusive networking dinner, allowing attendees to forge new connections, exchange ideas, and explore potential partnerships in a more informal setting.
With pioneering events like the Rising Sun Conclave 2, Connect India Japan continues to take its mission of fostering impactful collaborations between the two Asian giants. As India and Japan move forward as strategic partners, such initiatives play a crucial role in shaping a shared future of economic growth, cultural exchange, and diplomatic synergy.