Bhubaneswar, Apr 3 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday left for a seven-day official tour to Japan, to promote investment opportunities in the state.

The state's Minister of Industries, MSME, and Energy, Pratap Keshari Deb, Chief Secretary P.K. Jena, Secretary to CM(5T) V.K. Pandian, along with a few senior officials and a business delegation are accompanying the Chief Minister during the Japan tour.

The business delegation, consisting of select industries in the steel, aluminium, textiles, food and sea-food processing, and green hydrogen and green ammonia sectors, will explore opportunities for collaboration with Japanese business houses, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said on Monday.

During the visit, the delegation will conduct one-to-one meetings with potential investors, host the Odisha Business Meet Tokyo 2023, and hold an interactive meeting with the Odia diaspora in Japan, it said.

It will also make a visit to the Kimitsu steel works and the R&D Center of Nippon Steel Corporation. Further, they will also explore avenues of collaboration in the areas of skill development and high-tech start-ups.

Further, the Chief Minister-led team will also hold a roundtable discussion in Kyoto on opportunities for collaboration between Japan and Odisha in the tourism sector, focusing on Buddhist and Eco-Tourism related sites in the state.

Moreover, in view of the significant strides made by Odisha in development of the sports ecosystem, it is also planned to explore possible collaboration in training and development of sports talent in Odisha, they said.

The visit of the Chief Minister to Japan reinforces the commitment of the state government to promote Odisha as a favourable investment destination and strengthen the emerging economic and cultural ties with the country.

During the Make in Odisha Conclave 2022, Japan was a country partner and the Ambassador to Japan in India participated in the plenary session and had invited the Chief Minister to visit Japan.