Varanasi, October 2026 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the Abe Memorial Corridor in Varanasi will serve as a “living classroom” for the younger generation, offering lessons on how the friendship between visionary leaders can evolve into trust between two nations.
Yogi inaugurated the Abe Memorial Corridor at the Rudraksha International Convention Centre in Varanasi, describing it as a tribute to former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and a living symbol of the enduring friendship, trust and shared heritage between India and Japan.
The Chief Minister said the corridor was not merely a space preserving Abe’s memories, but also a symbol of the strong relationship between the two countries. He described it as a humble tribute to Abe on behalf of the 25 crore people of Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the 140 crore people of India.
Rudraksha Symbolises India-Japan Friendship
Yogi said the Rudraksha Convention Centre itself symbolises the friendship between India and Japan. Japan gifted the Rudraksha centre to Kashi, and the city is now preserving the memory of Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the same venue.
He noted that October 7 also marked 25 years since Narendra Modi first took oath as Gujarat Chief Minister in 2001. The foundation of the friendship between Modi and Abe was laid during that period.
In 2007, Modi, then Gujarat Chief Minister, visited Japan, where he met Abe for the first time. “This friendship was not built on positions; it was built on trust. Positions changed, but the friendship did not,” Yogi said.
He added that inaugurating a memorial corridor dedicated to that friendship on the day Modi completed 25 years in public service was a remarkable coincidence.
Friendship Between Leaders Became Trust Between Nations
Yogi recalled Abe’s first visit to India as Japanese Prime Minister in August 2007, when he addressed Parliament and said that a strong India was in Japan’s best interest and a strong Japan was in India’s best interest.
He highlighted several milestones in India-Japan relations, including the signing of the Kashi-Kyoto Partner City Agreement in 2014, Abe’s participation in the Ganga Aarti in Varanasi in 2015 and the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project in Ahmedabad in 2017.
In 2018, Abe invited Modi to his private residence in Yamanashi, giving a personal dimension to the relationship between the two leaders.
Yogi said Japan had consistently supported India’s infrastructure development, including the Delhi Metro, Western Dedicated Freight Corridor and Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor.
He said around 1,400 Japanese companies are currently operating in India, while the partnership between the two countries has expanded into future-oriented sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, green hydrogen and critical minerals.
“Japan has technology and India has talent. Japan has experience and India has youthful energy,” Yogi said.
He recalled that Abe was conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 2021, describing it as an honour for a true friend. Following Abe’s death, Modi travelled personally to Tokyo in September 2022 to pay his final respects, while India observed national mourning.
Japan Is a True Friend of India
Referring to Goswami Tulsidas’ description of friendship, Yogi said a true friend considers his own sorrow insignificant but treats the suffering of a friend as his own.
“At a time when relationships are often determined by deals, it is difficult to find a friend who stands by you without calculating profit and loss,” he said. “India is fortunate to have such a true friend in Japan.”
He said while countries around the world often build relationships based on interests, India-Japan ties are fundamentally based on trust.
Japan Has Precision, UP Has Scale
Yogi recalled his visit to Japan in February this year, when agreements worth thousands of crores of rupees were signed with Japanese companies in Tokyo and Yamanashi.
He said travelling on a maglev train running at more than 500 km per hour gave him an opportunity to witness Japanese precision engineering first-hand.
Yamanashi, where Abe had hosted Modi at his private residence, is now partnering with Uttar Pradesh in green hydrogen energy. In August 2024, Yamanashi Governor Kotaro Nagasaki visited Uttar Pradesh with more than 200 investors.
Yogi said the state was developing a Japanese City across 500 acres in the YEIDA region near the Noida International Airport and had established a Yamanashi Desk at Invest UP.
“Japan has precision and Uttar Pradesh has scale,” he said, pointing to the state’s 25-crore population, young workforce and extensive network of expressways and airports.
Corridor Marks 75 Years of Diplomatic Relations
Yogi said India and Japan will complete 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2027 and described the memorial corridor as the first gift of the commemorative year.
He said both countries have preserved their traditions and heritage while integrating them into everyday life and work culture.
Referring to the civilisational links between the two countries, he said Japan’s Buddhist heritage has deep connections with Uttar Pradesh, which is home to important sites associated with the life of Lord Buddha, including Sarnath, Kushinagar, Shravasti, Kaushambi, Sankisa and Kapilvastu.
“Japan is the Land of the Rising Sun, while Uttar Pradesh is the land of the Sun Dynasty,” he said, referring to Lord Ram’s association with the solar dynasty.
Yogi said Kashi and Kyoto represent the spirit of their respective civilisations and demonstrate that heritage can be preserved while pursuing development.
Same Values Despite Different Languages
The Chief Minister said the two countries may have different languages and geographical identities, but share common emotions and values.
Referring to the recently concluded Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, he thanked the Japanese people for the warmth shown towards Indian athletes, saying the hospitality had encouraged Indian sportspersons to perform at their best.
Yogi reiterated that the Abe Memorial Corridor would provide young people with an opportunity to understand how visionary leadership can influence the future of two nations.
“The best tribute to Abe San would be to ensure that the friendship between India and Japan becomes stronger with every passing year,” he said.
Shinzo Abe’s wife Akie Abe, Uttar Pradesh Minister Ravindra Jaiswal, Varanasi Mayor Ashok Tiwari, District Panchayat Chairperson Poonam Maurya, MLA Saurabh Srivastava and members of the Japanese delegation were present at the inauguration.
Yogi Welcomes Japanese Guests in Their Own Language
Yogi welcomed Akie Abe and members of the Japanese delegation in Japanese. He said, “Sekai de mottomo furai toshi Banarasu e yokoso,” welcoming them to Varanasi, one of the world’s oldest cities.
He also extended greetings to Akie Abe and the Japanese delegation on behalf of Kashi, the city of Lord Vishwanath on the banks of the Ganga, and Sarnath, where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon.
At the conclusion of his address, Yogi thanked the Japanese guests by saying, “Arigato gozaimasu.”
