Islamabad, October 18, 2021 (PPI-OT):President Dr Arif Alvi has said that Pakistan attaches great importance to its bilateral ties with Japan and wants to further expand cooperation as there exist great prospects of furthering relations in various fields. He highlighted that Pakistan offered tremendous business opportunities and Japanese companies could benefit from the business-friendly environment in various sectors of the economy, especially in agriculture, automobile, Information Technology, textile, SMEs and energy sectors. The President made these remarks while talking to the outgoing Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Mr Kuninori Matsuda, who called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, today.
Talking to the envoy, the President said that Pakistan and Japan enjoyed excellent relations and both countries needed to further improve their ties in areas of mutual interest. He underscored the need for increasing cooperation in the fields of skills and human resource development. He welcomed the decision of the Government of Japan to include Pakistan in the JDS Scholarship Program under which 20 students from Pakistan would be provided the opportunity to take part in graduate courses in Japanese universities. The President also recalled his visit to Japan in October 2019, saying that he held fruitful discussions with the leadership of Japan.
He also appreciated the role of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japanese companies that contributed to the development of Pakistan. The Ambassador apprised the President that Pakistan was one of the major exporters of fisheries and agricultural products, including rice, dates, sesame, mango, Guar Gum, Shrimp and salt to Japan. He informed that the Toyota automobiles company would invest $100 million to produce the most advanced hybrid cars in Pakistan, besides supporting companies to manufacture auto parts.
He further stated that Japan would hold Osaka 2025 Expo and requested Pakistan’s participation in the Expo. The Ambassador remarked that 2022 would mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Japan, and expressed the hope that both the countries would commemorate the anniversary in a befitting manner. The President congratulated the ambassador on the successful completion of his tenure in Pakistan and appreciated his efforts in further solidifying Pakistan-Japan relations.
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