Visiting Japanese business delegation positive about Pakistan

Karachi, October 09, 2012: The first Japanese business delegation to visit Pakistan in over 10 years expressed a positive impression about the country, after spending 2 busy days in Karachi on the first leg of its visit to Pakistan. The 23 member delegation comprises of C-level executives and top management of Japanese companies from several different sectors, many of whom are first time visitors to Pakistan.

The delegation’s visit has been arranged by the Japanese External Trade Organization (JETRO), which is a non-profit official trade and investment promotion agency working under the aegis of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Govt of Japan. JETRO has been operating in Pakistan for more than five decades. Since its inception JETRO Karachi Office has been has been making endeavors to promote trade and investment and strengthening bilateral relations between Japan and Pakistan.

During its stay in Karachi, the delegation first visited on Sunday the ongoing EXPO 2012, in which there is also a large Japanese Pavilion. Here they also met with senior executives of TDAP and other government officials. Later the same afternoon the delegation held networking sessions with local business leaders and office-bearers and members of different business associations. Deriving valuable insights from their interaction, the delegation members opined that the potential for expansion of trade between Pakistan and Japan was substantial.

“I have been surprised to know that the business promotion policy is quite welcoming for the investors in Pakistan. There’s this perception among Japanese people that Pakistan is a dangerous and high risk country and yet I think that this situation can be purposeful for business operations. I think that Pakistan is better as a country from where I am expecting the perks. I have good expectation from the business sector of the country”, said Mr. Daisuke Hiratsuka, Executive Vice President, JETRO, Tokyo, “People here are very friendly and smart. Their working style is comprehensive and systematic. I think that Pakistan is very capable for business investments and it’s a potential business hub for the foreign investors”.

On the second day of its stay in Karachi, the Japanese delegation visited the Toyota plant at Indus Motor Company and the Port Qasim Authority and got an insight on the Port

operations, before driving through Bin Qasim Industrial Park (BQIP), a project of National Industrial Parks, and going onto Jinnah Terminal to catch a flight for Islamabad. In Islamabad the delegation will be meeting the President of Pakistan and Many Senior government officials and convey their concerns and opinions. Then proceed to Sialkot and Lahore on the last leg of their visit to Pakistan. They will be networking with the Pakistani businessmen in Lahore n support from Punjab Board of Investment & Trade, also going through the markets and then depart for Japan.