Tokyo – Ambassador Farukh Amil (عامل فاروق) along with the trade team of the Embassy visited Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) to call on Chairman JCCI Mr. Akio Mimura and other senior officers of the Chamber . In the meeting he underlined the new Government’s focus on strengthening the economy and attracting investment. The top priority for the Government was energy security with the aim to increase the efficiency of the existing power plants and set up new power plants based on coal, hydel and civil nuclear technology. He assured that Pakistan was on a positive trajectory of growth and development and as always, valued highly the seventy six Japanese companies already operating there and warmly welcomed new ones to join in to benefit given the huge domestic and neighbouring markets. He urged Japanese companies to personally visit Pakistan to meet their partners in business and prosperity. The Ambassador suggested training young people from Pakistan to learn the Japanese corporate management culture. In order to help Pakistan create jobs for young population, he requested support of JCCI for duty concession for Pakistani textile products on the lines of the EU. He requested Chairman JCCI to encourage maximum participation of Japanese companies for the upcoming Joint Business to Business Dialogue planned for April 2014.
After the exchange Mr. Mimura expressed keen interest in Pakistan and said he planned to share the information received with leading members of the Chamber. He expressed appreciation for the economic reforms undertaken by the Prime Minister, which had given greater confidence to international community to engage with Pakistan in the economic field. He highlighted the fact that a major challenge in Japan was the need for greater information on Pakistan. He informed that JCCI had over 1.26 million SME’s as its members and basic task of the Chamber was to offer all possible support when those companies entered the overseas market. He highlighted that although the Japanese SME’s focus was on ASEAN countries JCCI’s complete support was assured for the upcoming PJBF delegation visit to Tokyo in February 2014 and the upcoming Joint Dialogue in April 2014 in Islamabad.