Uttar Pradesh, Japan’s Yamanashi sign four MoUs; ₹600-crore fund for MSMEs

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday (August 21, 2026) announced a dedicated Yamanashi Desk at Invest U.P. and regular coordination with companies to facilitate Japanese investment as the government of Uttar Pradesh and Japan advanced their partnership with four Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) on skills, technical training, tourism and Japanese GCCs, along with a ₹600-crore fund announced by Yamanashi to support Uttar Pradesh’s MSME sector. 

The announcements were made at the Japan–India Business Networking Event at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, Lucknow, attended by Yamanashi Governor Kotaro Nagasaki, Japanese business leaders and senior Uttar Pradesh ministers and officials.

Mr. Adityanath said the partnership with Japan must move beyond investment discussions towards structured, long-term cooperation. He said the ₹600-crore Yamanashi fund would support Uttar Pradesh’s MSMEs, while the dedicated Yamanashi Desk at Invest U.P. would provide a focused channel for investors and businesses from the prefecture.

Regular coordination with JETRO and JICA, he said, would help identify opportunities, address investor concerns and accelerate project implementation.

Addressing the Japanese delegation, the Chief Minister highlighted Uttar Pradesh’s improving connectivity, industrial infrastructure, skilled workforce and investor-friendly policies. He said the state wanted to build a partnership in which investment, technology, skills and employment advance together.

“Japan is not only an important investment partner for Uttar Pradesh; it is a long-term partner in our development journey. We want this relationship to become more structured and outcome-driven. The ₹600-crore Yamanashi fund, the dedicated Yamanashi Desk at Invest UP and regular coordination with JETRO and JICA will help us move faster from dialogue to implementation. Uttar Pradesh has the scale, infrastructure and young workforce that Japanese companies need, while Japan offers technology, skills and global experience that can accelerate our growth. Our objective is to create a partnership that generates investment, jobs and lasting institutional linkages,” said Mr. Adityanath.