CM Yogi attends Abe Memorial Corridor inauguration in Varanasi
Synopsis
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attended the inauguration of the Abe Memorial Corridor in Varanasi on 7 October 2026, honouring late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who shared a storied bond with the city.
Key Takeaways
CM Yogi Adityanath attended the inauguration of the Abe Memorial Corridor in Varanasi on 7 October 2026 .
The corridor is named after late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe , assassinated in July 2022 .
Abe had visited Varanasi alongside PM Narendra Modi , walking the Ganges ghats in a celebrated display of India-Japan friendship.
Varanasi is PM Modi's parliamentary constituency and a recurring venue for high-profile diplomatic and infrastructure milestones.
The memorial reinforces India-Japan ties at the state level, with UP playing an active role in the bilateral relationship.
A corridor built to honour a fallen friend of India took centre stage in Varanasi on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attended the inauguration ceremony of the Abe Memorial Corridor — a tribute to the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who shared a celebrated bond with the city and with India.
CM Yogi posted from the event venue in Varanasi, sharing that he was present at the inaugural ceremony of the Abe Memorial Corridor — 'आबे मेमोरियल कॉरिडोर के उद्घाटन हेतु जनपद वाराणसी में आयोजित समारोह में' (at the ceremony organised in Varanasi district for the inauguration of the Abe Memorial Corridor). The post was accompanied by an image from the event.
Shinzo Abe and Varanasi: a friendship etched in stone
Shinzo Abe, who served as Japan's longest-serving Prime Minister before his assassination in July 2022, had a well-documented personal affinity for Varanasi. He visited the city alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi — Modi's own parliamentary constituency — and the two leaders walked together along the Ganges ghats, a visit widely remembered as a symbol of the India-Japan strategic partnership at its warmest.
The memorial corridor in his name carries that symbolism forward — an architectural remembrance in one of the world's oldest living cities, dedicated to a leader who invested deeply in ties between Tokyo and New Delhi.
Varanasi as a canvas for diplomatic memory
The choice of Varanasi for the Abe memorial is deliberate and layered. The city sits at the heart of UP's political and cultural identity, and as PM Modi's constituency, it has increasingly become a venue for high-visibility infrastructure and international-friendship projects. A named corridor here carries both local pride and national symbolism.
CM Yogi's presence at the inauguration underlines the UP government's stake in cementing the India-Japan relationship at the state level — a relationship that spans bullet-train corridors, defence cooperation, and development finance flowing into Indian infrastructure.
Point of View
The BJP government signals continuity in the India-Japan partnership even years after Abe's death. Naming infrastructure after a foreign leader on Indian soil is rare and underscores how personally significant Abe's relationship with Modi and Varanasi was. For UP, it is also an opportunity to position the state as a node in India's expanding global partnerships, beyond its traditional identity as a domestic political battleground.
NationPress
7 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Abe Memorial Corridor in Varanasi?
The Abe Memorial Corridor is a tribute infrastructure project in Varanasi named after late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who visited the city with PM Modi and shared a close bond with India.
Why was the Abe Memorial Corridor built in Varanasi?
Varanasi was chosen because Shinzo Abe visited the city alongside PM Narendra Modi — Modi's parliamentary constituency — in a landmark display of India-Japan friendship. The corridor commemorates that bond.
Who inaugurated the Abe Memorial Corridor?
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attended the inauguration ceremony of the Abe Memorial Corridor in Varanasi on 7 October 2026.
When did Shinzo Abe visit Varanasi?
Shinzo Abe visited Varanasi with PM Narendra Modi during his tenure as Japan's Prime Minister, walking along the Ganges ghats in a visit that became an iconic image of the India-Japan relationship.
What is the significance of naming a corridor after Shinzo Abe in India?
Naming infrastructure after a foreign leader on Indian soil is rare and reflects the depth of Abe's personal relationship with India and PM Modi, as well as the strategic importance of the India-Japan partnership.
