Japanese kid welcomes PM Modi in Hindi; video goes viral

TOKYO: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was pleasantly surprised by a Japanese child who greeted him in Hindi in Tokyo today.

Modi, who arrived in Tokyo for a two-day visit, today morning interacted with children waiting to welcome him when fifth standard student Ritsuki Kobayashi surprisingly greeted him in Hindi.

A clip of the interaction has been shared on the internet by news agency ANI.

"Welcome to Japan! May I have your signature please?", Ritsuki Kobayashi asked the prime minister in Hindi, surprising the latter.

Impressed, Modi said, "Waah! Where did you learn Hindi from?... You know it pretty well?"

Nodding in agreement, Kobayashi said: "Yes, I learnt Hindi."

After his interaction with the prime minister, Ritsuki Kobayashi said that although he can't speak Hindi much, he is able to understand. "PM read my message,  and I also got his signature, so I am very happy," he gushed.

Today, Japanese children were seen holding "Welcome" placards written in different Indian regional languages as they were dressed up in traditional attire for PM Modi's arrival.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Tokyo to participate in the Quad summit on May 24 at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, has been welcomed excitedly by Indians in the island nation.

Taking to Twitter, the prime minister wrote: "Landed in Tokyo. Will be taking part in various programmes during this visit including the Quad Summit, meeting fellow Quad leaders, interacting with Japanese business leaders and the vibrant Indian diaspora."