Meghalaya signs MoU with Japan’s Asean One to create overseas career pathways for youth

The Meghalaya government has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Asean One Co. Ltd., Japan, aimed at training and placing the state’s youth in international careers across healthcare, hospitality, IT and allied sectors.

The agreement, signed in Tokyo on September 5 by the Meghalaya State Skill Development Society (MSSDS), is an outcome of Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma’s official visit to Japan in April 2025, where he initiated talks on creating global opportunities for Meghalaya’s workforce.

Under the partnership, the programme will begin with the training and overseas placement of 500 candidates in the first year, scaling up to 5,000 over the next five years. It will also include Japanese language training and cultural integration support to prepare candidates for long-term employability in Japan.

Speaking at the signing ceremony at the Indian Embassy in Tokyo, Labour and Employment Minister Shakliar Warjri said, “This MoU is not just an agreement—it is a gateway for our young people to access international careers while deepening the cultural and economic ties between Meghalaya and Japan.”

Asean One Japan, led by Chairman and CEO Toshiaki Nishikawa, has been working to strengthen workforce mobility between India and Japan. Nishikawa recently met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 15th India–Japan Annual Summit in Tokyo (Aug 29–30, 2025), highlighting the synergy between Meghalaya’s initiative and India’s larger vision of becoming a Global Skill Hub.

Officials said the MoU represents a milestone in Meghalaya’s efforts to empower its youth with globally relevant skills, while also reinforcing India–Japan cooperation in skill development and workforce mobility.