The Jafza division of the Japanese Business Council, headed by Mr. Yasuyoshi Matsunaga Managing Director of Toshiba Gulf recently met with officials from Jafza to discuss further expansion of commercial ties between Japan and Dubai and ways to enhance the competitiveness of the free zone for Japanese businesses.
The UAE has proven to be a preferred business destination for Japanese companies looking to base themselves in the MENA region. Over 40% of Japanese companies in the region are based in the UAE. Jafza alone is home to over 117 Japanese companies including Hitachi, Toshiba, Panasonic, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, Bridgestone, Fuji Film among many others. Many of these companies are members of the Japanese Business Council which was set up in March last year.
Jafza has always considered Japan to be a vital trade partner and has been conducting periodic road shows and seminars in Japan for almost two decades working closely with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Japan Cooperation Centre for the Middle East (JCCME) among other organizations and partners.
Jafza's meeting with the Japanese Business Council served to re-iterate its commitment and also to brief Japanese companies on detailed updates on the latest developments in the free zone including improvements to infrastructure facilities and services that will facilitate growth and development.
Talal Al Hashemi, Managing Director of Economic Zones World, UAE Region said: "Jafza has emerged as an important commercial gateway for Japanese companies, serving key markets in the Middle East and North Africa Region. It is a vital profit centre and an important re-export centre for these companies. The free zone has consistently sought to provide a favourable environment to industrial, trade and logistics sectors. With its continuous upgrades to its infrastructure and service offerings, customised investment models, dedicated build-to-suit capability and a host of other incentives Jafza is a prime investment destination."
He also commented that the meeting was an ideal occasion to not only highlight new offerings at Jafza but to also explore new opportunities with Japan. Al Hashemi said: "Our joint initiative and efforts will strengthen trade relations, encouraging, facilitating, and opening channels for other Japanese companies looking to do business in the region. We are working closely with the Japanese Business Council on best approaches and practices to stimulate investment. We have plans for more partnerships, road shows, seminars in key markets and hope to continue to generate significant interest from Japanese companies eager to set up base here."
Mr. Yasuyoshi Matsunaga Managing Director of Toshiba Gulf and the Director of the Jafza division of the Japanese Business Council said: "The meeting was a very fruitful one and we are very impressed with the new developments in Jafza's infrastructure and service offerings. The Japanese Business Community's mandate is to strengthen business relationships between Japanese and local companies and organizations. We consider Jafza a valuable partner in the Middle East and look forward to collaborating with them to facilitate businesses of Japanese companies in Dubai and to further stimulate trade relations between the economies."
According to the latest numbers by the Dubai office of JETRO, goods worth $22.727 billion (Dh83.45 billion) were exported from the UAE to Japan in 2009.
The UAE imported goods worth $6.497 billion from Japan, mostly cars, machinery, electronic goods, petrochemicals and iron. Japan's most popular export items to the UAE are cars, lead by Toyota, and car parts, with this sector contributing 45 to 50 per cent to the trade volume, according to JETRO.
