Pakistan, Japan explore new avenues for bilateral trade growth

February 11, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan and Japan have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening economic cooperation, with a renewed focus on expanding bilateral trade, investment, and business-to-business collaboration.

Discussions highlighted the need for improved export compliance standards, greater promotion of Pakistani products in the Japanese market, and enhanced institutional and training partnerships.

Ongoing government measures were emphasized to reduce production costs including lower electricity tariffs, expanded support under the Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS), and stronger university-industry linkages  while also noting the urgency of upgrading outdated technology in key export sectors to improve product quality and competitiveness.

The understanding emerged during a meeting between Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce, and representatives of the Pakistan-Japan Business Forum (PJBF), according to a press release issued.

During the meeting, the coordinator welcomed the delegation and praised PJBF’s continued efforts to strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

The participants reviewed outcomes of the 8th Pakistan-Japan Government Business Joint Dialogue (PJGBJD), co-organized by the Embassy of Pakistan in Tokyo and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) with support from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

Emphasis was placed on expanding Japanese training programmes in Pakistan, building institutional partnerships, and increasing B2B engagement to achieve higher production and export standards.

Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing an enabling business environment and assured continued support for initiatives aimed at enhancing Pakistan-Japan economic relations through sustained dialogue and coordinated policy actions.

The delegation included Mr. Muratza Y. Mandviwalla, Chairman of PJBF; Mr. Itaru Nakamura, Chief Representative for Pakistan at Marubeni Corporation and Senior Vice Chairman of PJBF; Mr. Syed Feroz Shah; Mr. Taishi Kawai, General Manager for Pakistan at Mitsui & Co.; Mr. Koji Nishizaki, General Manager, Pakistan, Sumitomo Corporation Asia & Oceania Pte Ltd.; and Mr. Jimmy S. Takeuchi, General Manager, Karachi Office, ITOCHU Corporation.

The meeting concluded with both sides agreeing on the importance of addressing structural challenges through closer cooperation and proactive alignment of trade and investment policies.

Copyright Mettis Link News