CHENNAI, India (Kyodo) -- Japanese prefectural governors have recently made a series of visits to India, aiming to bolster relations with the fast-growing economy buoyed by its vast markets and to secure promising human resources there.

The governors are hoping to convey the charm and strengths of their prefectures and capitalize on growth in the South Asian country while markets in Japan are shrinking amid an aging population and declining birthrate.

In early February, Ehime Gov. Tokihiro Nakamura and about 80 local business representatives visited Chennai, one of India's major cities, to participate in commercial meetings with companies and exchange events with university students studying Japanese.

After completing his itinerary in the world's most populous nation, Nakamura emphasized the importance of economic ties with India, saying there is "no doubt" the country will experience rapid growth, given its "youth and potential."

India, which continues to enjoy robust economic growth, is on track to overtake Japan and Germany to become the world's third-biggest economy within a few years. With a population of over 1.4 billion, India's median age is 29.8, far lower than Japan's 49.9.

Struggling with a drop in population, Japanese governors are turning their attention to India's growth prospects. Others have also visited the country and agreed to cooperate with local authorities and universities in fields such as renewable energy and information technology.

A Japanese local government official involved in a governor's visit to India said, "I had the impression that people in India would be difficult to get along with, but they were actually very friendly when I met them in person."

India "suffers from poor sanitation and this is likely to remain a challenge, but the energy that its cities and individuals exude is fascinating," the official added.