Supplements Print edition: 2026-02-23

10th Pakistan-Japan Private Sector Business Dialogue, and 8th Pakistan-Japan Government-Business Joint Dialogue held in Tokyo last month

Kalim Farooqui, Chairman Media Committee-PJBF and Director-PJBF The 10th Pakistan–Japan Private Sector Business...

Published February 23, 2026 Updated February 23, 2026 03:58am

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Kalim Farooqui, Chairman Media Committee-PJBF and Director-PJBF

The 10th Pakistan–Japan Private Sector Business Dialogue and the 8th Pakistan–Japan Government–Business Joint Dialogue took place in Tokyo last month. The Government–Business Joint Dialogue was co-chaired by Mr. Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan, Coordinator to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Commerce and Industry, and Mr. Takuo Komori, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI). Mr. Abdul Hameed, Ambassador of Pakistan to Japan, participated in the Dialogue alongside senior officials from both sides. Similarly, the Business Dialogue was co-chaired by Mr. Murtaza Mandviwalla, Chairman, Pakistan–Japan Business Forum (PJBF), and Mr. Akira Terakawa, Chairman, Japan–Pakistan Business Co-operation Committee (JPBCC), the counterpart forum of PJBF in Japan. A strong contingent of nearly 40 PJBF member delegation participated in the Dialogue, reflecting a strong private-sector interest from Pakistan. This was facilitated by the active support of the Pakistan Embassy in Tokyo, the Japanese Embassy in Islamabad as also PJBF’s counterpart organization in Japan, JPBCC.

It is pertinent to note that the dialogue witnessed the participation of senior management representing Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications (MIAC), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Ministry of Economy Trade & Industry (METI), The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) and additionally several other relevant organizations of Japan. Speakers from both sides included the likes of Mr. Suguro Takeuchi, GM Itochu Corporation, Karachi, Mr. Matsumoto Itonaga, Country Director JETRO, Mr. Atsushi Mishuku, Managing Director, Ajinomoto Lakson Pakistan Pvt Ltd, Hiroshi Kawamura, Managing Director, Pak Suzuki Motor Company Ltd.

Speakers along with their presentations elaborating upon the potentially emerging sectors available to the Japanese businesses for trade and investments were Mr. Hasan Mandviwalla about Mine & Minerals, Mr. Pierre Dupont of Jaffer Agro Services on Agri& Aquaculture, Mr. Hitoshi Yamaguchi of YKK on Textile, Mr. FarooqNaseem of DWP, Mr. Yoichi Kogure of JICA and Mr. Takashi Horuichi of Plus W on Human Resource and Information & Communication Technology emphasizing upon the rising interests of Pakistani entrepreneurs and specially the youth towards ICT related businesses.

Concluding remarks by the Japanese side appreciated the presentations made by the Pakistani side leading to the impression that the message of Pakistan being open for business was well received. PJBF Chairman in his concluding remarks pointed towards the trade imbalance which is tilted favourably towards Japan. He moved on to say Pakistan’s business environment is showing positivity and hence the timing is right for the Japanese to revisit, re-look and have a first mover advantage in some of the new sectors discussed and elaborated upon. Given Pakistan’s location, young population, access to ports, a sizable presence of Japanese companies in Pakistan, there is case to look at Pakistan’s non-traditional opportunities, as presented in the Joint Dialogue. He also informed the Japanese side that Pakistan Government has set up an advisory group under the prime minister to address and resolve impediments standing in the way of trade and investments. Board of Investment (BOI), Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), Ministry of Commerce (MOC) Ministry of Industries (MOI) as also PJBF are part of this group.

Pakistan, a nation of nearly 250 million with nearly 60% of the population under 30, offers a sizeable market for trade and investment. And as Pakistan strengthens its economy and enhances its political stability, it can be an even more valuable partner of Japan specially in its access to the human and the natural resources in Pakistan and in Central Asia and to a future Silk Road and integrated markets of Central Asia, South Asia and beyond. It is an opportune time now to look at Pakistan as a potential destiny for trade and investments.

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