Japan’s hotel giant HMI Group signs MoU with UP govt, to invest Rs 7,200 crore

The MoU was signed on the second day of the 3-day Global Investors Summit in Lucknow.

At the signing event, HMI Group Director Public Relations Takamoto Yokoyama said, "UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's efforts to realise and develop the state's tourism potential have created immense possibilities for the hotel industry. Varanasi has seen a significant increase in tourism after the development of the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor. For us, this is a great chance."

HMI Group operates more than 60 hotels in major cities in Japan.

Yokoyama said UP's industrial policies are encouraging, adding that HMI Group will expand its hotel chain in 30 major cities, including Agra, Varanasi, and Ayodhya.

Over 10,000 people will receive direct job opportunities as a result of this, he said.

Earlier, in a session on 'Implementation of Special Strategic and Global Partnership between Japan and India in UP', Ministry of External Affairs’ Advisor (Japan), Prof Ashok Chawla presented a comparative analysis of the political, strategic, economic, and cultural relations between India and Japan in different periods from 2000 to 2014 and from 2014 to 2022.

He said in 2015, then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited India, and in 2016 Prime Minister Modi went to Japan.

"Shinzo Abe came to Ahmedabad in 2017 and an action plan was made regarding high-speed rail. Later, in 2018, Prime Minister Modi went to Japan again. The two countries have developed deep trust as a result of frequent bilateral visits of these top leaders and this trust has positively impacted bilateral economic relations," he said.

There has been an unprecedented increase in investment in sectors like health, energy, logistics, hotel, artificial intelligence, textiles, steel, real estate, leather, etc. Japan Industrial Township is under development in Greater Noida, he added.

Extending his warm welcome to the Japanese delegation at the UP GIS, he assured that the Japanese investors will be given a congenial environment in Uttar Pradesh.

He also pledged that the Ministry of External Affairs would provide all assistance to the Uttar Pradesh government in maintaining contact with the Japanese government and the Japanese business community.

(With inputs from UNI)