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Japanese delegation declares Pakistan ‘fit for business’
KARACHI: The first Japanese business delegation to visit Pakistan in over a decade made positive and encouraging remarks about the country, after spending two days in Karachi on the first leg of their visit to Pakistan.
The 23-member delegation comprises corporate-level executives and top management of Japanese companies from several different sectors, many of whom are first time visitors to Pakistan.
“I have been surprised to know that the business promotion policy is quite welcoming for the investors in Pakistan.”
“There is 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 have good expectation from the business sector of the country,” said Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro) Executive Vice President Daisuke Hiratsuka.
“People here are very friendly and smart. Their working style is comprehensive and systematic. I think that Pakistan is very capable of business investments and it is a potential business hub for foreign investors,” he added.
The delegation’s visit was arranged by Jetro, which is a non-profit official trade and investment promotion agency working under the aegis of the Government of Japan. Jetro has been operating in Pakistan for more than five decades.
During its stay in Karachi, the delegation first visited Expo Pakistan 2012 on Sunday, where they had a large Japanese pavilion. At the event, they also met with senior executives of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and other government officials.
Later, the delegation held networking sessions with local business leaders and office-bearers and members of different business associations.
Deriving valuable insights from their interactions, the delegation members were of the view that the potential for expansion of trade between Pakistan and Japan was substantial.
On the second day of their stay in Karachi, the Japanese delegation visited the Indus Motor Company’s Toyota plant and the Port Qasim Authority to get an insight into the port operations, before driving through the Bin Qasim Industrial Park, a project of the National Industrial Parks, and going to the Jinnah Terminal to catch a flight for Islamabad.
In Islamabad, the delegation will be meeting with the president of Pakistan and senior government officials.
They will also meet businessmen in Lahore and Sialkot, the Punjab Board of Investment and Trade before departing for Japan.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 9th, 2012.
Japanese delegation declares Pakistan
‘Investors shifting manufacturing facilities to Pakistan’
ISLAMABAD: The visit of Japanese investors delegation to Pakistan has helped change the perception about Pakistan as have found Pakistan as a potential country to increase their production base as well as shifting of manufacturing facilities from Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and other regional countries to Pakistan.
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Executive Vice President Daisuke Hiratsuka and JETRO Country Director Kaoru Shirasishi soon after their arrival in Islamabad informed a selected group of reporters that a 23-member investors delegation after attending investment meeting in Karachi have arrived in Islamabad and other 27 executives of the Japanese companies would be arriving in the federal capital on Tuesday (today) for formal meeting with the President Asif Ali Zardari.
The first Japanese business delegation visit Pakistan in over 10 years expressed a positive impression about the Pakistan, 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 50-member Japanese investors delegation visiting Pakistan to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan is set to meet president here at the President House today (Tuesday) and will present recommendations for improvement in investment climate in Pakistan for Japanese investors.
Hiratsuka and Shirasishi informed that the purpose of their visit is for change in perception about investors protection in Pakistan. There is perception in Japan that Pakistan is dangerous country for Japanese inventors and they are of the view the view that law and order situation is not very good, infrastructure like electricity, gas, water and consistency of policies is lacking in Pakistan.
They conformed that most of the Japanese companies executives who are visiting for the first time in Pakistan for exploring investment opportunities have expressed their satisfaction as against the perception about Pakistan. They have expressed their willingness that Pakistan is suitable for Japanese investment and they can expand their production base in Pakistan as it is a big market.
They were of the view that auto sector is the main sector where Japanese investment could be improved as well as investment opportunities are also available in the logistic services sector.
They were of the view that per capita income in Pakistan is increasing and there are huge investment opportunities for Japanese investors, if security situation is improved, infrastructure facilities are made available and it should be ensured that there is consistency of policies in Pakistan.
They were of the view that 25 percent cars market demand in Pakistan is being met through import of old and used cars and this has resulted reduced market for existing Japanese companies assembly cars in Pakistan. Import of old and used cars are not only damaging existing investors confidence in Pakistan, but also causing loss to economy in terms of revenues and loss of jobs in Pakistan.
Replying to a question on high prices charged by Japanese car manufacturers with low quality, Daisuke Hiratsuka said that at present Pakistan’s market has reduced to 200,000 units annually and if this number is increased to over 300,000 many new vendors would be willing to Pakistan and this would help improve not only the quality of cars but would also help reduce cars prices. Citing example of India and other regional countries, Daisuke Hiratsuka informed that they are discouraging import of old and used cars and this has resulted in increased number of production of cars, more job opportunities and more revenues to respective governments as well as reduction in prices of cars.
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
