Japan-Pakistan Business Coordination Committee and Pakistan-Japan Business Forum are pursuing means to enhance bilateral trade
ISLAMABAD: The Commerce Ministry is finalising agenda for the upcoming fifth session of dialogue, Pakistan-Japan Government Business Dialogue, likely to be held in the federal capital.
The 4th session was held in Tokyo in March 2012.
“The dialogue will be held as a result of a request received from Japanese side,” a source in the ministry told Customs Today on Monday.
The source said that the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) was planning to conduct a survey on the investment and business environment of Pakistan as well as needs of Japanese companies operating in the country for the Pakistan–Japan FTA.
“Most probably, JETRO will share results and findings of the survey with MoC in the current year, however, JETRO has not provided any details in this regards to Commerce Minister till now” the source added.
The source said that Pakistan’s major exports to Japan were cotton yarn, cotton fabric, crude vegetable materials and leather while Pakistan‘s major imports from Japan were vehicles and their spare parts, machinery (all sorts), iron and chemicals.
The source said that the Japan-Pakistan Business Coordination Committee and Pakistan-Japan Business Forum were actively pursuing the ways and means to enhance the bilateral trade through meetings and dialogues.
“Earlier, the Business to Business (B2B) Dialogue and Government-Business Dialogue were held on March 21 and March 22, 2012 respectively,” he said, adding that then commerce minister had led Pakistani delegations in both the dialogues while the commerce secretary and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) chief executive assisted the commerce minister. The host country’s delegation was led by Japanese Vice Minister Okada.
The source recalled that Pakistan and Japan mutually granted most favoured nation treatment on trade and entry of nationals in 1960. Later, the source said that Japan had contributed substantially to the economic development of Pakistan as a major bilateral development cooperation partner.
He said further that after successfully lifting of ban and launching of Pakistani mangoes in the Japanese market, the Commerce Ministry was pursuing the Japanese government for lifting of ban on fresh kinnows from Pakistan.
“As a result of the ministry’s efforts to enhance bilateral trade volume with Japan, Japanese delegates of 45 companies participated during the EXPO Pakistan 2013,” he concluded.
