Jaipur: Gujarat may have made great strides in many areas, but Rajasthan has scored well in attracting Japanese investment to the state. But now Gujarat is keeping tabs on the Japanese investment en route to Rajasthan and it has approached to Japan external trade organisation (JETRO) assuring to provide the best facilities to the Japanese companies willing to ride on Gujarat bandwagon.

"Many states, like Karnataka and especially Gujarat have approached us and have assured to provide basic infrastructure and all possible facilities for setting up industrial units there. Presently, most of the Japanese companies are finding Neemrana, Khushkhera and Bhiwadi as most suitable places for investment," said Masaki Ida, chief director general, JETRO.

Over 20 Japanese companies have come to Rajasthan and most of them are automobile and air-condition companies and their ancillary units, he added.

"In future, more Japanese companies are expected to invest in Rajasthan. Hospitality and real estate are other two sectors where companies can foray into," said Ida. Neemrana is a famous place in the corporate and industrial circles of Japan, he added.

Ida said that Japan has almost recovered from the recent disaster of tsunami and there will be no impact of the natural calamity on the investment front. However, officials of industry department are of the view that no state in northern region along with Gujarat, can compete with the strategic benefits, facilities, infrastructure and pace of development taking place in Neemrana, Khushkhera and Bhiwadi.

"The entire region comes under the NCR. The facilities and infrastructure offered by the Rajasthan government and pace of development at these three industrial towns is tremendous.

Very soon, we will have an airport and railway facilities for passengers and cargo," said a senior official of industry department.