New Delhi, Jan 4 (IANS): India and Japan will celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations and to mark this historic occasion, the two countries have decided to have special logos.

The Indian logo depicts a peacock and a green pheasant, which are national birds of India and Japan respectively. The pheasant forms the numeral 7 with its tail and the Peacock forms the numeral 0. The logo symbolises the bond of friendship between the two countries.

To mark the 70th anniversary, a number of events are planned to be held in India and Japan throughout the year. These include cultural activities, exhibitions and seminars, covering diverse areas of India-Japan bilateral relations.

These events will mark the occasion in a manner that truly reflects its significance and the commitment of all stakeholders to realise the full potential of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, said the Ministry of External Affairs.

India and Japan established diplomatic relations on April 28, 1952. To mark the 70th anniversary, the two countries have decided to have special logos.

The Japanese side had launched its logo earlier this year.

India's Ministry of External Affairs had launched a contest in September 2021 to design the Indian logo. Entries were invited from the public through the MyGov portal. This was publicised by the MEA and also by the Embassy of India in Tokyo. A total of 1,131 entries were received. A Screening Committee assessed these entries based on contest parameters and chose the first prize winning entry.