Islamabad, His Excellency, Mr. Wada Mitsuhiro, the Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, met with Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Mr. Ahad Khan Cheema to discuss ongoing and future economic cooperation between the two countries. The meeting highlighted the longstanding bilateral relations between Japan and Pakistan, spanning over seven decades since 1954.
According to Press Information Department, Mr. Wada Mitsuhiro was accompanied by Mr. Naoaki Miyata, the Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Senior officials from the Ministry of Economic Affairs were also present during the meeting. Minister Cheema welcomed the Ambassador and acknowledged the strong ties between the two nations, emphasizing the importance of Japan’s economic assistance to Pakistan.
“Pakistan attaches great importance to the economic assistance extended by the Government of Japan,” said Minister Cheema. He noted that Japan’s support has been instrumental in various sectors, including health, education, environment, and water.
Ambassador Wada reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting Pakistan in these mutually agreed priority sectors and provided an update on the progress of ongoing development projects funded by the Japanese government. He also mentioned Japan’s special assistance package provided in response to the devastating 2022 floods and the scholarship program for capacity building of Pakistan’s civil service officers.
Minister Cheema expressed gratitude for Japan’s ongoing support and assured the Ambassador of Pakistan’s dedication to close collaboration with the Japanese government to ensure effective implementation and review of current projects. Both sides agreed to convene the next session of the Japan-Pakistan High-Level Economic Policy Dialogue at the earliest opportunity to further strengthen bilateral ties.
The meeting underscored the shared values and perspectives between Japan and Pakistan on various global matters and highlighted the significance of Japan’s economic assistance in promoting development and capacity building in Pakistan.