ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) is striving for getting tariffs on Pakistan’s textiles exports to Japan reduced, it was learnt here on Thursday.
The MoC is also holding deliberations on sending a trade delegation to Japan for an open and extensive session with Japanese importers in this connection. Pakistan’s major exports are textile thread & textile products while Pakistan’s major imports are electric equipment and automobile & parts.
In 1992-93, Pakistan’s exports to Japan constituted 6.8 percent of its total exports which declined to 1.1 percent in 2003-04. Similar trend was also visible in Pakistan’s imports from Japan -15.9 percent of its total imports, which declined to 6.0 percent for same period. However, Japan’s exports to Pakistan have improved since 2001 as the economic recovery in Pakistan.
A well placed source at MoC told this scribe here on Thursday that the Ministry was utilising all available means and options to convince Japanese authorities to reduce tariffs on Pakistani textile products. In this regard, the source said that the Ministry had activated Pakistani diplomatic officials based in Tokyo. “Our ambassador is making extensive efforts to achieve due results because once tariff will be reduced, volume of Pakistani textile exports to Japan will increase by several times,” the source further observed, adding that very act of the Japanese government of removing the anti-dumping duties imposed in 1995 on certain categories of Pakistani textile exports to Japan, which would encourage the Pakistani textile exporters to recapture the market.
The source said that ministry was striving for arranging the exhibitions for the display of article of apparel / cloth accessories to encourage these exports with an active support and collaboration of Pakistani diplomatic mission in Japan.
In this regard, the source said that Pakistani ambassador and visiting Chairman Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Junaid Esmail Makda also held extensive discussion regarding enhancing bilateral trade between Pakistan and Japan recently in Tokyo and both of them agreed on different proposals including establishing of formal ties between respective chambers of commerce across Japan through MoUs, lobbying in Japan to reduce tariffs on Pakistan’s textiles as well as sending a trade delegation to Japan for a well-planned and coordinated visit to highlight role of Pakistan’s vibrant private sector.
It is pertinent to note here that bilateral trade recorded US$ 2.2 billion in 2011, largely tilting the balance of trade in Japan’s favour with US$ 1.8 billion imports from that country. Trade-wise, Japanese position has been taken over by China in Pakistan’s trade. Pakistan-China trade has been five times now bigger than Pakistan-Japan trade.
