An official envoy of Japanese Prime Minister HE Yasuo Fukuda, recently visited Jebel Ali Free Zone to discuss the investment climate in the UAE in general and Dubai and Jafza in particular.
The envoy, HE Hiroshi Okuda, who is Advisor to Prime Minister Fukuda, Chairman of the Japan Federation of Economic Organizations and Former Chairman of Toyota Motors, was leading the high-level Japanese delegation to Jafza as part of an official visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Mr. Okuda was accompanied by HE Mr. Hiroyasu Kobayashi, Consul-General of Japan and HE Mr. Takuma Hatano, Ambassador of Japan.
Talks between Mr. Okuda and Mr. Ibrahim Al Janahi, Senior Vice President, Commercial Sales, Jafza, focused on the investment environment in Dubai and the available infrastructure, especially in Jebel Ali Free Zone, where more than 100 Japanese companies are currently based.
Welcoming the delegation, Mr. Al Janahi said: “Japan and Dubai have both witnessed growing bilateral trade over the decades. Jafza has emerged as an important profit center for Japanese companies, serving key markets in the Middle East, Indian subcontinent, North and East Africa and surrounding areas. We are very keen to further enhance the current standing and forge more long-term sustainable partnerships with our Japanese counterparts.”
Explaining more about the business cooperation between the two countries, Mr. Al Janahi added: “A considerable share of Japan’s oil imports come from the UAE, especially Abu Dhabi. The long-term commercial relationship between the two countries has also facilitated a sizeable presence of Japanese companies in Jafza. Furthermore, over the years we have continued to generate significant interest from Japanese companies eager to set up base here. Jafza with its strategic location and world-class infrastructure, facilities and services is positioned to serve the comprehensive needs of Eastern and Asian Pacific companies.”
Jafza is home to many Japanese conglomerates including Hitachi, Toshiba, JVC, Panasonic, Sanyo, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, Nichibo, Mitsui & Co, Obayashi, and Sumitomo Corporation among others. Several Japanese companies with an annual turnover of over US $1 billion are also based at Jafza.
According to the Statistics Department of Dubai World, UAE non-oil exports to Japan in 2007 stood at AED 183 million, while imports were at AED 20 billion.
