On October 21, H.E. Mr. Pema Khandu, Honorable Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, India, along with a Member of Parliament and officials from the state government and representatives from the Embassy of India in Tokyo, visited Sophia University’s Yotsuya Campus.

The delegation held discussions with Fr. Agustine Sali, S.J., Chancellor of Sophia School Corporation, President Miki Sugimura, and faculty members of Sophia University. During the meeting, the initiative from the Faculty of Science and Technology: the planned establishment of the Department of Digital Green Technology, scheduled to open in April 2027, was introduced as a part of English-medium degree programs offered at Sophia University. Professor D. Sakthi Kumar from Toyo University’s Faculty of Information Sciences and Arts also participated in the meeting and provided an overview of India－Japan academic programs from his position as Chairman of Indian JSPS Alumni Association.

H.E. Mr. Khandu expressed his hope that, in addition to popular study destinations in Western countries, more Indian students would choose Japan for their studies. He noted that universities in Arunachal Pradesh offer language education, and he hopes to add Japanese, and emphasized the potential for increased student exchange between the two countries.

Mr. Ravindran Madhu Sudan, Chargé d’Affairs, added that interest in Japan has been growing, especially following visits by Prime Minister Modi, and that many Japanese universities are beginning to accept more students from India.

Following the meeting, Assistant Professor Emir Yilmaz from the Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, led a lab tour. H.E. Mr. Khandu attentively listened to explanations provided by students engaged in research.

Both parties affirmed their intention to continue discussions on promoting academic exchange between educational institutions in Arunachal Pradesh and Japanese universities, concluding the visit.