Economic expansion: Japan vows continued support for Pakistan

Cites outages, security fears as hurdles to investment

ISLAMABAD: Japan Embassy Economic Counsellor Takashi Harada, while terming vocational training a key to achieving economic growth, has pledged Tokyo’s continued support for giving a boost to economic expansion in Pakistan.

“Economic growth in Pakistan has remained high and it will likely continue; we welcome it,” he said while talking to media on Friday.



He emphasised that the Japanese government had contributed to the development of Pakistan in various areas, especially in human resource development, which was very important for economic growth.

He also highlighted Japan’s commitment to future assistance in the field, pointing to the Industrial Human Resource Development Cooperation Initiative for 2015-17 under which Japan had been imparting training to 40,000 Asian people.

Responding to a question about more investment by Japanese companies in Pakistan, he said electricity load-shedding and security concerns had been hurdles in the way of attracting investment. However, he agreed that the outages and security environment had improved in the country.

He said three Japanese companies were working in Pakistan’s automobile sector and believed that the new auto policy would woo carmakers from Europe, the US and China, which would expand the market.



Among the projects developed with the help of Japanese assistance is the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). Tokyo has been providing support for this health facility since the 1980s, just after its establishment, by constructing the Children’s Hospital, the Maternal and Child Healthcare Centre and Colleges of Nursing and Medical Technologies along with technical assistance by its experts.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2016.

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