Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, leading a state government delegation to Japan, addressed two roundtables in Tokyo on Wednesday with a total of 129 Japanese companies, according to the Gujarat government — a luncheon roundtable with 57 industrialists from various sectors and an automobile supply-chain roundtable with 72 Suzuki suppliers, ANI reported.

The biggest announcement of the day came from Suzuki Motor: its Gujarat production, which has reached 10 lakh cars a year, is set to double to 20 lakh cars a year in the coming years, and 24 new suppliers from the Suzuki supply chain expressed keenness to set up operations in Gujarat on a fast-track basis, near the company's Hansalpur plant. Sanghavi also met Suzuki Motor Corporation President Toshihiro Suzuki, Japan's State Minister of Foreign Affairs Nakasone Yasutaka and Iwate Prefecture Governor Takuya Tasso.

Other outcomes announced from the day's meetings included a decision by Sumitomo Chemical to set up a new specialised chemicals unit for semiconductors in Bhavnagar, and final-round discussions by Furukawa Electric on an investment of over Rs 4,500 crore — yaani, over 45 billion rupees — in optical fibre cables for data centres, which would be the first time this product is manufactured outside Japan. Tokyo Electron also reached the final round of discussions on a semiconductor-sector project, while Kyowa Leather agreed to set up a man-made PU leather plant in Gujarat, with land to be finalised within a month.

Honda outlined an expansion plan aimed at creating 4,000 new jobs for Gujarat youth by the end of 2027 or early 2028, the reports said. Sanghavi also held individual meetings with 11 other major Japanese companies, including Sumitomo Chemical, Furukawa Electric, Honda, Tokyo Electron, Kyowa Leather, JERA, MUFG Bank, Marubeni, Sanrio, Meiraku and Moririn.