Kolkata, Aug. 12 -- Japan will be ready to invest and build a business relationship with Jammu and Kashmir if the situation in the valley normalises, Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu said here on Saturday.

When asked whether Japan is considering the northern state as a potential investment hub following the scrapping of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution which took away the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and now allows companies from other states and abroad to invest there, Hiramatsu said his country looks forward to "positive development" in the region.

"Yes, of course. We look forward to it. I hope the situation there normalises. This is a decision taken by the Indian government. We will have to see. At this stage...