The Nagaland government has launched Nagaland-Japan Connect 2026 in Dimapur to create structured overseas employment opportunities for Naga youth in Japan through skill development, institutional partnerships and direct recruitment.
The initiative was organised by the Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN) at the Integrated Business Hub & Innovation Centre and brought together Japanese employers, state officials and students seeking international placements.
Deputy Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang, addressing the event as special guest on Wednesday, described Nagaland-Japan Connect as a strategic economic intervention rooted in long-term cooperation between the two sides.
“This partnership is built on mutual trust and a shared vision for the future,” Zeliang said, recalling Nagaland’s engagement with Japan since 2014.
In his welcome address, IDAN chairman Abu Metha said the initiative was conceptualised nearly a year ago and implemented through sustained coordination among state government departments under the leadership of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.
Kunitoshi Hojo, Deputy Director General of the Kochi Prefectural Department of Commerce and Labour, said Japan is facing a growing human resource shortage due to its ageing population, particularly across key employment sectors.
Highlighting the increasing demand for workers from Nagaland, Hojo said that while Kochi Prefecture had no Naga workers in 2024, the number has now risen to 19, with more students expected to be recruited through the programme.
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Eight companies from Kochi Prefecture participated in the event and exchanged Memoranda of Understanding to formalise cooperation in vocational training, internships, international placements and investment facilitation.
Konnekt Asia was designated as Nagaland’s official representative in Japan in partnership with IDAN, with a mandate to promote investment, technical cooperation, educational exchange and sector-specific partnerships.
Separately, NYK and IDAN signed an MoU to develop a vocational training ecosystem in Nagaland by integrating foreign language instruction with industry-oriented technical skills.
In the agriculture sector, the School of Agricultural Sciences signed MoUs with Corporation Kumagai Co. Ltd. and Hagumi Farm Co. Ltd. to offer one-year internships, providing students with practical exposure to advanced farming practices in Japan.
A technical session was also held to prepare participants for overseas employment, focusing on Japanese work culture, workplace ethics, discipline and employer expectations. The session outlined pathways covering language proficiency, skill standards, recruitment procedures and long-term career development.
The event recorded more than 450 student registrations and featured direct job interviews and interactions with Japanese employers across agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, electronics, hospitality and heavy machinery sectors.
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