Pakistan, Japan Agree to Enhance Cooperation in Trade, Investment and Other Sectors

Tokyo:
Pakistan and Japan have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, and a wide range of other sectors during a high-level meeting between Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Japan’s Senior State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Miyoji Takuma. The meeting took place at Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, on her first official visit to Japan as the country’s first-ever female Chief Minister, conveyed good wishes for the Japanese leadership and people. Minister Takuma warmly welcomed her, extending congratulations on her historic role as Pakistan’s first woman Chief Minister and lauded her efforts in governance.

“This is the first time in three decades that a leader of your stature from Pakistan has visited Japan, and it is highly significant,” Takuma remarked. He praised Punjab’s development initiatives, noting the launch of over 120 projects as “commendable progress.”

During the talks, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to boosting economic ties, with Maryam Nawaz highlighting her government’s policies to provide incentives and facilities to foreign investors. She expressed Pakistan’s interest in learning from Japan’s expertise in disaster management, urban planning, and earthquake-resilient construction technologies.

Maryam Nawaz acknowledged Japan’s invaluable assistance during natural disasters in Pakistan, including past earthquakes, and stressed that “Japan’s development model, rooted in technological advancement as well as respect for human values, is one we aspire to adapt in Punjab.”

Minister Takuma, while expressing condolences over recent floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, emphasized that Japan considers Pakistan a trusted friend and will continue to stand by it in difficult times. He assured continued Japanese support in areas of technology, trade, and social development.

The meeting reflected the mutual desire of both nations to transform their long-standing friendship into deeper economic and strategic cooperation.