Bullet train on track, Japan ex-min's comments 'factually incorrect': Govt

Representative imageNEW DELHI: Govt defended its high-speed rail cooperation with Japan, dismissing the statement of a former Japanese minister blaming India for the lack of progress in the ongoing work on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai 'bullet train' project.Describing the comments by former justice minister Hideki Makihara, who accused Indian authorities of not keeping their promises, as the opinion of an individual that was "at considerable variance with facts", MEA said discussions with Japan on the project had progressed well.Diplomatic sources clarified that Makihara wasn't speaking for Japan as he is neither a part of the Japanese govt nor involved with the project.The remarks by Makihara - who said he was involved with the project - followed the India-Japan summit that saw PM Sanae Takaichi