TOKYO: Malaysia’s total trade with Japan increased by 1.4% to RM137.45bil in 2014, said Malaysian Ambassador to Japan Datuk Ahmad Izlan Idris.He said Malaysia recorded exports of RM82.71bil, an increase of 4.4%, while imports from Japan dropped by 2.9% to RM54.75bil.
“Japan is Malaysia’s third largest trade partner after China and Singapore, and they continue to be our top trade partners,” he told Malaysian media covering Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s official visit to Japan.
Ahmad Izlan said Malaysia’s top exports include liquefied natural gas (LNG), electrical and electronics products as well as chemical-based products, while imports consist of electrical and electronics goods, machine components, and parts and accessories for vehicles.
Japan is one of the top investors in Malaysia, with 2,510 projects worth US$22.7bil implemented by its companies until Dec 31, 2013, creating 332,352 jobs, he said. From January to September last year, 47 projects by Japanese firms with investment of RM10.65bil were approved, and are expected to create 6,874 jobs.
Ahmad Izlan said some 1,400 Japanese companies were operating in Malaysia now and potential sectors include green technology, biotechnology, advanced electronics as well as high-tech and automotive industries.
Japanese tourist arrivals to Malaysia also saw an increase of 7.8%, reaching 553,106 last year. He said the Malaysia My Second Home programme had also received good response, with the participation of 3,456 Japanese between 2002 and 2014, the second highest after China.Some 5,500 Malaysians, including 2,250 students, are residing in Japan.
