BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 10
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
Iranian companies are interested in increasing technological cooperation between Iran and Japan in various areas, including petrochemical, oil, mining and agriculture sectors, Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade of Iran, Head of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI) Hamid Zadboum said, Trend reports citing the organization’s website.
He made the remark during a meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Iran Aikawa Kazutoshi.
The deputy minister noted that as trade turnover between the two countries has declined, a number of steps should be taken to increase trade turnover.
Zadboum added that despite a number of problems (including the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, sanctions, etc.), exports of Iranian products to the Far East, Africa and Latin America are gradually increasing.
The official stressed that given the countries such as Oman, India and Pakistan are investing in the Chabahar free trade zone, Japanese companies can also invest in this zone like other foreign investors.
The Japanese ambassador said that the economy and trade play a major role in Iran-Japan relations. Japanese companies are also interested in working with Iranian companies. In order to increase the trade turnover between the two countries, suitable opportunities can be created in new areas of business, such as e-commerce.
According to the ambassador, Iran has made progress in e-commerce and banking over the past decade. Free trade zones such as Chabahar are spotlight in the Japanese companies as trade and investment centers.
According to the report of the TPOI, the trade turnover between Iran and Japan amounted to 14,900 tons worth about $103 million during the first 10 months of the current Iranian year (from March 20, 2020 through January 19, 2021).
Iran's trade turnover with Japan decreased by 24 percent compared to the same period last Iranian year.
So, Iran exported 1,440 tons of goods worth $14.7 million to Japan and imported 13,400 tons of goods worth $88.2 million from Japan over the reporting period.