Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party (SP), has voiced his criticism of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's planned visit to Japan, suggesting that if he is going, he should also visit Kyoto. In his social media post, Yadav implied that a trip to Kyoto could reveal why the Prime Minister's parliamentary constituency, Kashi, has not been developed to the same standards and how its heritage has deteriorated. He urged the CM to bring back valuable lessons from Japan on preserving heritage and advancing cities.

Yadav continued to question the effectiveness of the trip, sarcastically remarking on the appropriateness of the timing, given that CM Yogi is in the final year of his tenure. He emphasized that it remains unclear whether Yogi will leave Japan with any actionable plans or real contributions, dubbing the initiative 'mansukh-tourism.' This rhetoric implies that the journey may not serve any significant purpose beyond providing personal gains or a way to impress his close associates.

The article notes that Yogi Adityanath is set to begin his tour of Singapore and Japan on February 22; this trip marks only his second foreign visit during his nine-year tenure, with the previous one being a brief visit to Myanmar in 2017. The timing of this tour appears to be aimed at attracting investment to Uttar Pradesh, a plan that opponents like Yadav view skeptically, highlighting the contrast in political narratives surrounding development strategies in the state.