India-Japan: 60 Years of Diplomatic Relations
Monument honouring Justice Radha Binod Pal, at Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine, Japan.
At the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, Indian Justice Radha Binod Pal made
one of the dissenting judgments in favour of Japan. This is remembered even today in
Japan. This became a symbol of the perceived closeness of India and Japan.
1949: Prime Minster Jawaharlal Nehru presented Japan with a baby elephant named „Indira‟
for Ueno Zoo, Tokyo.
1951: The Treaty of Peace between the Allied Powers and Japan was concluded. India
refused to take part as it was limiting Japan‟s sovereignty and independence.
1952: Diplomatic relations between Japan and India established. Treaty of Peace between
India and Japan concluded. India waived all reparation claims against Japan. [10] This treaty
was one of the first treaties Japan signed after World War II.
1957: Japanese Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi's visits India. The first visit made by a
Japanese Prime Minister.
1958: A trade pact between Japan and India was signed. Japan started providing yen loans to
India. The first yen loan aid extended by Japanese government.
1961: Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda visits India.
1969: Prime Minister India Gandhi visits Japan.
1982: Prime Minister India Gandhi and Foreign Minister PV Narasimha Rao visit Japan.
1984: Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone and Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe visited India 23
years after the last visit made by a Japanese Prime Minister. PM Nakasone met PM Indira
Gandhi and made a speech about the close relationship between Japan and India.
1985: Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visits Japan.
1986: Foreign Minister ND Tiwari visits Japan.
1987: Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Foreign Minister ND Tiwari visit Japan. Japan
Month celebrated in India.
1988: Festival of India organized in Japan. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was present at the
opening ceremony.
1989: President R. Venkataraman and Foreign Minister PV Narasimha Rao visits Japan for
the Funeral Ceremony of Emperor Showa.
1990: President R. Venkataraman visits Japan for the Enthronement Ceremony. Prime
Minister Toshiki Kaifu and Finance Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto visit India.
1991: Finance Minister Manmohan Singh visits Japan. Japan provides financial aid to
alleviate India‟s foreign currency reserves crisis.
1992: Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao and Finance Minister Manmohan Singh visit
Japan.
1993: Finance Minister Manmohan Singh visits Japan.
1995: Minister of International Trade and Industry Ryutaro Hashimoto visits India. Vice
President KR Narayanan and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee visited Japan.
1998: Relations between the two nations reached a brief low as a result of Pokhran-II.
2000: Japanese Prime Minister Mori visits India. At this meeting, Japan and India agreed to
establish a Japan-India Global Partnership between in the 21 Century.
2001: Japan-India Joint Declaration was signed, which consisted of high-level dialogue,
economic co-operation, and military and anti-terrorism co-operation.
2005: India and Japan signed a Joint Statement "Japan-India Partnership in the New Asian
Era: Strategic Orientation of Japan-India Global Partnership".
2006: India and Japan signed a Joint Statement Towards India-Japan Strategic and Global
Partnership.
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and Indian Navy warships took part in the Malabar
2007 naval exercises off India's western coast, one of the many such multilateral exercises
Japan has taken part in symbolizing close military cooperation between India and Japan.
2007: Celebrated as Japan-India Friendship Year, and held cultural events in both India and
Japan.
2008: India and Japan signed a Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation between Japan and
India.
2011: In August, India-Japan signed bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership
Agreement (CEPA).
Bilateral Treaties and Agreements
Treaty of Peace (1952)
http://www.ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~worldjpn/documents/texts/JPSA/19551126.T1E.html
Agreement for Air Service (1956)
http://www.ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~worldjpn/documents/texts/JPSA/19551126.T1E.html
Cultural Agreement (1957)
http://www.ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~worldjpn/documents/texts/JPSA/19561029.T1E.html
Agreement of Commerce (1958)
http://www.ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~worldjpn/documents/texts/JPSA/19580204.T1E.html
Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation (1960)
http://www.ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~worldjpn/documents/texts/JPSA/19600105.T1E.html
Japan-India Joint Declaration (2001)
www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/koizumispeech/2001/1210india_e.html
Joint Statement "Japan-India Partnership in the New Asian Era: Strategic Orientation
of Japan-India Global Partnership" (2005)
http://www.ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~worldjpn/documents/texts/JPSA/20050429.D1E.html
Joint Statement “Towards India-Japan Strategic and Global Partnership” (2006)
http://www.ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~worldjpn/documents/texts/JPSA/20061215.D1E.html
Joint Declaration “Security Cooperation between Japan and India” (2008)
http://www.ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~worldjpn/documents/texts/JPSA/20081022.D1E.html
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) (2011)
commerce.nic.in/trade/ijcepa_basic_agreement.pdf