PETALING JAYA: Japan aims to further strengthen investments and deepen comprehensive strategic partnerships between Malaysia and Japan this year, said its ambassador to Malaysia, Katsuhiko Takahashi.
He said the land of the rising sun is an attractive investment destination with a large market size and has probably the world’s best human resource base and competitiveness in research and development (R&D).
“A large number of Malaysians are already investing in Japan, but we want to encourage more (to do so),” he said at the reception to celebrate the birthday of Emperor Naruhito yesterday.
In November last year, prime minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Malaysia reinforced bilateral ties and resulted in numerous positive outcomes.
The following month, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim visited Japan for a five-day working visit.
“In addition to mutual visits at the leaders’ level, we received several other high-level visits from both the public and private sectors, such as ministers and prefectural governors as well as a business mission led by the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“This is another aspect to symbolise the expansion of Japan-Malaysia cooperation,” said Takahashi.
He also said the Japanese Embassy’s efforts in 2023 to promote Japanese food and its safety had been well-received.
Takahashi also anticipated the opening of the University of Tsukuba campus in Malaysia this year.
“This is a major milestone in our educational cooperation and we will make every effort to ensure it’s a smooth start.
“The upcoming University of Tsukuba campus will become the first Japanese public university to set up a campus outside of Japan,” he said.
Japan has been Malaysia’s fourth-largest trading partner for eight successive years since 2015 and in 2022, trade with Japan accounted for 6.4% of Malaysia’s total trade at US$41.26 billion (RM 197.76 billion).
