Terming the current US $2 billion trade volume between Islamabad and Tokyo as "small", Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan Seiji Kojima expressed the hope that recommendations of the Joint Study Group (JSG) would help the two countries increase bilateral trade.
The outgoing Japanese envoy stated this at a dinner hosted by Chairman, Pakistan Japan Business Forum (PJBF) Abdul Kader Jaffer on Wednesday night at his residence to say "Phir Milenge" (see u again) to Kojima.
Others who attended the dinner included former Home Minister Irfanullah Marwat, former Senator Javed Jabbar, former ambassadors Mansoor Alam and Zafar Hilali, former Attorney General Qadir Saeed, Economic Advisor to Consulate General of Japan Takashi Miyata, Dr Mandip Sharma President Association of Women Entrepreneurs and Career Women (India), industrialist Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Secretary General of PJBF Jamal Hussain, members of PJBF.
Kojima had arrived in Pakistan on June 26, 2006 as ambassador and would leave for Japan within the next few weeks. He thanked the government and people of Pakistan who, he said, are hospitable and nice. The Japanese envoy said he had tried his best to get more and more Official Development Assistance (ODA) for Pakistan from his government, which was investing a small amount of US $60 million annually in Pakistan.
"I tried to improve the situation and I hope that good recommendations of the Joint Study Group, by the end of this year, would give a boost to Pak-Japan trade," he added. Kojima's wife, Tami Kojima, in chaste Urdu, also expressed her deep gratitude to the people of Pakistan and wished long life to Pakistan-Japan friendship.
Earlier, PJBF Chairman Abdul Kader Jaffer, saying "Phir Milenge" to Kojima, called the envoy a great friend of Pakistan and Pakistanis, who had done a very good job for Pakistan. The PJBF chief said Kojima had multiplied the Japanese ODA to Pakistan for different infrastructure and human development projects, including construction of highways, tunnels and promoting education.
Jaffer, who is also Chief Executive Officer of the Forum, introducing Kojima to the Indian guest, Dr Mandip Sharma, urged him to ask his government for pressing upon their trading partners in New Delhi to strengthen friendly ties with Islamabad. Later, a memento was presented to the outgoing Japanese ambassador and his wife.
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