All party delegation in Japan highlights India’s unified stance against terrorism

     Tokyo, May 23 (PTI) An Indian Parliamentary delegation on Friday highlighted India’s unified and determined stance against terrorism as it met multiple Japanese diplomatic leaders, who in turn, expressed support for New Delhi's resolve to counter cross border terrorism.
     The all-party delegation led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha is in Japan to sensitise the Japanese leadership about terror emanating from Pakistan, a month after the Pahalgam attack that left 26 people dead.
     The delegation met Yasuhiro Hanashi, Acting Chairperson of the Research Committee on Counter-terrorism of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Former Minister of Justice, held fruitful interaction with Minoru Kihara, former defence minister of Japan, and also met Shinako Tsuchiya, Director General of the International Bureau, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
     They also met Yasutoshi Nishimura, Chairman of the Japan–India Parliamentary Friendship League and Fukushiro Nukaga, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan.
     The delegation held a “focused and lively” press engagement at the Indian Embassy here where the Members of Parliament briefed the Japanese media on India’s ‘New Normal’ against cross-border attacks, zero tolerance for terrorism, and all parties resolve to stand united in all matters of national interest, the Embassy said in a post on X.
     When the all-party delegation interacted with the Japan-India Parliamentary Friendship League, led by chairman Nishimura, “members of the League expressed support for India’s resolve to counter cross border terrorism,” the Embassy said in another post.
     Earlier, the delegation met Yasuhiro Hanashi, where “both sides reiterated their zero-tolerance approach to terrorism,” the Embassy posted on X.
     The delegation held fruitful interaction with Minoru Kihara, after which the Embassy said, “India’s strong resolve to fight every form of terrorism was reiterated.”
     The delegation that Jha is leading is one of the seven multi-party delegations to 33 global capitals to reach out to the international community on Pakistan's designs and India's response to terror, especially in view of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
     Earlier on Thursday, the delegation met Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya.
     The Japanese Foreign Minister reiterated Japan’s support to India’s fight against terrorism and expressed appreciation for the restraint shown by the Indian side, it added.
     The delegation later met Yoshihide Suga, former prime minister of Japan, currently Vice President of the Liberal Democratic Party and chairman of the Japan-India Association. The MPs also met Takashi Endo, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on National Security, Japan.
     The delegation also interacted with leading Japanese think tanks and briefed them on India’s zero tolerance policy on terrorism, the Embassy said and added, the participants at the interaction expressed strong support for India’s efforts to combat terrorism.
     The delegation led by Jha to Japan includes BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Brijlal, Pradhan Barua and Hemang Joshi, Congress leader and former external affairs minister Salman Khurshid, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, CPI(M)'s John Brittas, and former ambassador Mohan Kumar.
     Banerjee later posted on X that the day two of the delegation “was marked by moments of deep personal reflection and purposeful diplomatic engagement.”
     “In a significant step towards deepening Indo–Japanese parliamentary relations,” the delegation met Yasutoshi Nishimura and “exchanged views on strengthening cooperation through democratic dialogue and institutional exchange,” the MP said in his post.
     Later, they called on Fukushiro Nukaga, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan and “conveyed India’s gratitude for Japan’s steadfast support across decades, and reiterated our shared commitment to advancing peace, stability and democratic values in an increasingly fractured world,” he added.
     The day two began for the MPs by paying homage to two extraordinary sons of Bengal, “whose legacies transcend borders -- Rash Behari Bose, who championed India’s independence from afar with unflinching resolve, and Justice Radhabinod Pal, whose principled stand in the face of global consensus remains a testament to the courage of conviction,” Banerjee said in his post on X.
     Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 lives.
     India carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7, following which Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to the Pakistani actions.
     The on-ground hostilities ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)