On the occasion of 70 years of the establishment of Pakistan-Japan relations, the Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan, Wada Mitsuhiro, released the following statement:
It is my pleasure and great privilege to congratulate everyone on the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Japan.
I would like to appreciate all the people who have played a formidable role in today’s success in developing mutual understanding and friendship with a future-oriented mind.
Japan is the 2nd largest bilateral donor to Pakistan with an accumulated $11.7 billion as of January 2022, and the 9th largest investor in Pakistan with $1.1billion at the end of 2020.
More than 80 Japanese companies are doing their business with a local presence and creating about 80,000 jobs across the country.
Based on 70 years of history, our economic relationship has significantly diversified from the cotton trade to automobile, energy, steel, and food manufacturing.
Although COVID-19 has completely changed the global economic landscape, I believe that Pakistan, with a population above 220 million, its abundant resources, and geographical advantages, will continue shining its attractiveness for forging investors.
Pakistan’s textile industry is a leading export industry with high international competitiveness, and Japanese companies are receiving a massive amount of orders for Japanese textile machinery, which helps in improving their productivity and further their export potential.
Similarly, imported vehicles, food, and other items also provide consumers and businesses with broad choices and options. Moreover, Japanese companies have contributed to the economic and industrial development of the country through human resource development and the transfer of technology and know-how to the local people.
COVID-19 has brought advanced digitalization and created a new cooperation frontier for us. It is one of the most promising sectors where Pakistan and Japan can further strengthen our cooperation.
The annual turnover of the Japanese Information service industry in 2020 was $250.2 billion, which is equivalent to the automobile, steel, and electronics industries in Japan.
Japan could provide an attractive investment market for the Pakistani IT industry as well as a labor market for talented Pakistani IT engineers.
I believe that together we can pave the way for a bright future based on mutual trust and cooperation, building on the long history of an amicable relationship between Pakistan and Japan.
I, as the Ambassador of Japan in Pakistan, will do my best to proceed to the next phase of promoting win-win cooperation, and I am looking forward to discussing with Pakistani friends on the way toward further development and prosperity of both countries.
