TOKYO: Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) has identified 11 regions in Japan as part of its regional revitalisation plan to increase its exports, especially to Malaysia and Singapore.
Its executive vice president, Miyako Hamano, said the plan will begin in TsubameSanjo, in the Niigata Prefecture, which specialised in metal crafting work.
She said Jetro will create a platform for companies here to meet and understand the needs of the buyers, especially from South-East Asian countries.
“We are focusing on emerging markets in Asean, especially Malaysia and Singapore, as part of Jetro’s long-term development business plan to increase exports.
“Malaysia and Singapore have a lot of potentials as there are increasing number of high-income people in the South-East Asia,” she told Bernama after officiating the pilot project, TsubameSanjo Brand Exhibition session, here yesterday.
She said manufacturers needed to meet their buyers and exchange opinions in order for them to understand the needs and preferences of the market.
Hamano said currently the total production value of design-related products in TsubameSanjo has reached 500 to 600 billion yen.
She said of the amount of production value, five billion yen was meant for export market annually.
“Malaysia and Singapore are currently our target countries in that region and we wish to fast-track our design-related products from this city to break into this region,” she said.
However, she said, the purpose of organising the design travel for Malaysian and Singaporean buyers was also to provide an opportunity for buyers to have a hands-on experience with the local kitchen tools, tableware, gardening tools, health and beauty-related goods.
She said Jetro hoped to create a win-win situation for the Japanese manufacturers and also buyers from Malaysia and Singapore.
“In three years, we aim to generate multi-lateral business exchanges such as joint product development between manufacturers from TsubameSanjo and shops from Asean countries, student exchanges, and increase fanbase of TsubameSanjo products and increase export,” she said.
Jetro, a Japanese government-related organisation, works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world.
Its core focus is towards promoting foreign direct investment into Japan and helping small to medium-sized Japanese firms maximise their global export potentials.
