Tokyo (TDI): Pakistan remains committed to deepening long-term, trust-based commercial ties with Japan, Ambassador Abdul Hameed said while addressing senior Japanese corporate leaders at the Pakistan Business Seminar 2025 in Tokyo.
The seminar, co-hosted by the Embassy and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), brought together over 50 participants from major Japanese companies, trading conglomerates, financial institutions and innovation-related agencies.
In his welcome address, Ambassador Hameed underscored Pakistan’s focus on building a stable, transparent and predictable business environment for Japanese investors. He said that improvements in safety, macroeconomic stability and investor facilitation reflected the government’s commitment to long-term economic partnership. The ambassador also directly addressed concerns raised by Japanese businesses, emphasizing Pakistan’s readiness to engage with clarity and consistency.
Masatomo Itonaga, JETRO Karachi’s Country Representative, provided an extensive briefing on Pakistan’s business climate, touching on economic indicators, sectoral performance, and policy reforms being implemented under IMF-supported programms. He highlighted Japan–Pakistan trade dynamics and noted that 68 Japanese firms are currently operating in Pakistan across sectors including automotive manufacturing, machinery, logistics, finance, food and services.
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Trade and Investment Counsellor Madiha Ali presented a detailed overview titled “Pakistan as Japan’s Next Growth Partner: Government Facilitation, Joint Ventures & New Market Opportunities.” She identified three areas where Japan’s projected structural needs for 2025–2035 align closely with Pakistan’s strengths: food value chains, digital and engineering services, and minerals.
She outlined cooperation models such as co-development partnerships, midstream processing ventures and diversified risk frameworks, supported by institutions like the Special Investment Facilitation Council, the Board of Investment, the Pakistan Single Window and the Special Technology Zones Authority.
Community Welfare Attaché Zahra Dastgir delivered a presentation on Pakistan’s human resource capabilities, citing demographic advantages, a large pool of qualified ICT professionals, and growing numbers of workers trained under the Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) and the Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) scheme. She noted Pakistan’s strong ICT skills, English proficiency and competitive competency scores under Japan’s i-Competency assessment standards.
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The event concluded with a Q&A session and networking high tea, offering Japanese businesses an opportunity for direct engagement with the Embassy’s economic and commercial teams.
According to the Embassy, the seminar is part of a structured series of engagements leading up to the upcoming Pakistan–Japan Government–Business Joint Dialogue. Insights from the event will help shape Pakistan’s preparations and support more practical, results-driven cooperation in priority sectors.
