Japanese firms urged to eye key sectors

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday wooed Japanese companies to invest in manufacturing, infrastructure, water treatment, renewable energy and minor port sectors.Addressing a seminar on ‘Doing business with Tamil Nadu’, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Industry Secretary N Sundaradevan said Tamil Nadu was the most attractive investment destination for Japanese companies because of its inherent strengths like favourable investment climate, infrastructure facilities and supportive government policies.The investment areas include the industrial township near Ennore Port, logistics parks at Ennore and Sriperumbudur, petrochemical and petroleum investment region between Cuddalore and Nagapattinam, the Chennai-Bangalore industrial corridor, desalination and waste water treatment projects and the setting up of 23 minor ports.T T Ashok, chairman, CII southern region, stressed on the need to focus on investments in automobile and auto-components, IT and ITEs and biotechnology. Tadashi Okamura, chairman, JCCI, said the chamber and the State government would sign an MoU to boost investment in SMEs.Masanori Nakano, Consul-General, Consulate General of Japan in Chennai, said the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between Japan and India would boost their ties..