Japan confirms interest in closer economic ties with Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba, Nov 1 (acn) Japan's interest in closer economic relations with Cuba was highlighted at the opening day of the 34th International Fair of Havana, FIHAV 2016, to be held in Expocuba fairgrounds until November 4 with the assistance of 73 countries.

In presence of Ricardo Cabrisas, Minister of Economy and Planning, and other Cuban and Japanese officials, Hiroyuki Ishige, Chairman and CEO of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), stressed during the celebration of the National Day of that Asian country the purpose of accelerating and deepen bilateral ties.
Ishige stated: "At a time when Cuba is entering a new stage of development, we hope Japan to play an important role, through closer economic relations and investment."
He recalled that last September, Shinzo Abe, Japanese PM, visited Cuba, first by a Premier of that nation to the Caribbean island.
In this context, both sides signed the agreement that regulates the Cuban debt to medium and long term, while short term debts were also renegotiated.
Reflection of motivation for the new business opportunities in Cuba, Ishige noted that last June, JETRO began its first trade mission to Cuba, a delegation composed of 50 representatives of Japanese companies, and they hope to repeat this initiative next March.
Iliana Nuñez, Cuban deputy minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, stressed the possibility of Japan to have greater participation in the development of the Caribbean island, on the basis of mutually advantageous relations in areas such as construction, tourism, infrastructure and industry.
She stressed that the willingness to strengthen bilateral economic and trade ties was ratified with the official visit to Japan this year of Miguel Diaz-Canel, first vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers.
At the ceremony, also attended by Masaru Watanabe, Japanese ambassador in Havana, Orlando Hernandez, president of Cuba´s Chamber of Trade, and the representative of JETRO signed a memorandum of cooperation to strengthen exchanges between the two institutions.
For the first time Japan participates in FIHAV with an exclusive pavilion where 14 companies such as Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Panasonic and Sumitomo exhibit their goods and services.
On Monday it was also celebrated the National Day of Spain, which through five pavilions and 155 companies is ratified as the most represented country at the fair.
Francisco Garzón, CEO of the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade, expressed the renewed interest of businessmen from the Iberian nation for Cuba, which is the fourth most important market in Latin America for Spain.
According to Garzon, since 2011 the Spanish exports to Cuba have grown by 50 percent, while the country remains the third largest trading partner and the main investor for the Caribbean nation in the world.
Likewise, Spain ranks among the top 10 source markets of tourists to Cuba, which in 2015 received 107 368 Spanish visitors, for an increase of over 39 percent.