Post Graduate Programme for Executives for Visionary Leadership in Manufacturing (PGPEX-VLM) mass of visionary leaders to steer the manufacturing sector into the new era of excellence. Hence, VLMP was developed by the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council in collaboration with Ministry of HRD, IITs, IIMs and CII as a flagship program to develop Leaders in Manufacturing under the Indo-Japan Cooperation Agreement, signed by Honb’le Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India and His Excellency Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, in December 2006. The Government of Japan had also agreed to extend cooperation to facilitate transfer of Japanese expertise and encourage visits to manufacturing centres of excellence in Japan so as
2014 Japanese general election re-appointed). The turnout in this election is the lowest in Japanese history. In 2012, the Democratic Party government under Yoshihiko Noda decided to implement a raise of the Japanese consumption tax. Following this move, the Liberal Democratic Party under Shinzo Abe regained control of the Japanese government in the December 2012 general election. Abe proceeded to implement a series of economic programs known as "Abenomics" in a bid to stimulate the economy. Despite these programs, Japan entered a technical recession in mid-2014, which Abe blamed on the consumption tax hike, even though many members of the LDP supported the hike.