Japan-India relations are set to get a boost with increased Japanese investment in Karnataka, Japanese Consul-General in Bengaluru Takayuki Kitagawa said on Friday.

Speaking at the 126th anniversary of the Japanese National Day, marking the birthday of the Japanese Emperor, Kitagawa announced the start of direct flight services from Bengaluru to Tokyo, starting March 29.

The daily Japanese Airlines flight is expected to be supported by an increased movement of tourists from Japan and Tokyo.

“The start of the direct air service is the culmination of three years of hoping and dreaming,” Kitagawa said, adding that he had helped get the service arranged after bonding with the chairman of Japanese Airlines over their mutual love of dogs.

When asked if the flight would be financially feasible, Kitigawa chuckled. “We hope it will be. Part of our calculations about the viability of the direct route is that San Francisco also becomes more accessible to Bengaluru. There will only be a three-hour layover in Tokyo on a connecting flight from Bengaluru to California,” he said.

“About 200 IT workers travel between San Francisco and Bengaluru every day and we think this direct service will help them. Plus, we believe the service will also give all three cities, including Tokyo, an economic boost,” the consul-general added.

Cultural exchange

The consul-general, who is set to step down next month, said his greatest achievement in the city has been the increase in cultural exchanges between the two countries. “Our annual cosplay walk on St Mark’s Road has become a phenomenon in the

Japanese media back home, to the point that people in Japan believe Bengaluru is a cosplay city. They don’t know it is a silicon valley,” he said, laughing.

The new consul-general is expected to take over at the end of May.