TOKYO: More than 200 prominent businessmen and senior officials of public and private companies and organizations from Saudi Arabia and Japan are participating in the Saudi Japanese Economic Forum that began in Tokyo on Tuesday evening.
Minister of Commerce and Industry Tawfiq Al-Rabiah is heading the Saudi delegation taking part in the event, which is discussing various aspects of bilateral business cooperation between the two major trade partners in Asia. It is expected to sign a number of agreements aimed at further expanding bilateral strategic partnerships and exchange of expertise during the forum.
Speaking on the sidelines of the forum, Al-Rabiah underscored the significance of the forum in further bolstering strong economic relations between Saudi Arabia, the world's largest petroleum exporter, and Japan, the second largest Asian economic power. "Organizing such events would open new horizons of partnership and cooperation in the fields of trade and investment between the two countries. It would also help generate numerous investment opportunities and create the best investment environment in both Saudi Arabia and Japan," he said.
The Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry organized the forum in cooperation with Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME) and Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). An investment exhibition is also being held on the sidelines of the forum.
Minister of Economy and Planning Muhammad Al-Jasser will chair the 11th meeting of the Saudi-Japanese Joint Committee, to be held in Tokyo. Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yukio Edano, Saudi Ambassador to Japan Abdulaziz A. Turkistani, Chairman of the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry Abdul Rahman Al-Jeraisy and several other senior Saudi and Japanese officials are attending the meeting.
Turkistani said the meeting would have six sessions that will discuss topics such as industrial cooperation between the two countries in the field of water, supporting businessmen and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), developing human resources and the role of public and private sectors in this field, creating appropriate investment environment in both countries, downstream industries and investment prospects in health care.
© Arab News 2012
