ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Honda Taro is likely to visit Pakistan soon. He will be meeting the top leadership of the country during the visit.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested all the concerned Ministries/ Divisions to share material related to Japan including Agreements/MoUs by May 25, 2022.
Last year Japan had expressed its unhappiness with Pakistani government for abrupt changes in procedures for investment, failing to fulfil agreed commitments and discriminatory treatment against its companies.
These concerns were conveyed by Japan’s Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Suzuki Hiroshi who led a 10-member team at 7th Japan-Pakistan high level economic policy dialogue.
Hiroshi had stressed upon the need to ensure that Pakistan did not fall in a debt trap by developing deep dependency on any one country and indicated the need for a strict adherence to recognized international principles i.e. openness, transparency, efficiency and debt sustainability agreed upon by the G20 countries.
He further reiterated that Pakistan was the single largest recipient of Japanese grants in the world. Japan’s grant, aid, assistance for water, sewerage system, health, education and disaster risk reduction were also highlighted.
Japanese Senior Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs further stated that Pakistan had a debt problem as successive governments resorted to excessive reliance on foreign loans and IMF programmes.
The sources said Japan’s Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan will raise the problems being faced by Japanese companies in Pakistan especially the auto sector.
The government had recently advised auto companies to reduce their prices and share their cost structure and provide justification for recent price hike otherwise the government will initiate regulatory measures which may include fixation of prices under the Price Control Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act, 1977.
Japan is also concerned at the imposition of ban on sale, purchase, manufacture, distribution and import of Ajinomoto Salt (Monosodium Glutamate – MSG) in Pakistan.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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