| James Kon |
TO CONTRIBUTE to the diversification of Brunei’s economy, Japan is planning technical cooperation with the Sultanate on a cost sharing basis.
The Japanese Government has already proposed a draft agreement on technical cooperation to be signed by the Brunei Government.
Once it is signed, Bruneian officials could participate in training courses in Japan and Japanese experts can travel to Brunei to deliver seminars and provide technical advice, said Noriko Iki, the outgoing Ambassador of Japan to Brunei Darussalam.
In an exclusive interview with the Bulletin at the Japanese Embassy on Monday, she explained why the Japanese Government cannot fully sponsor the scheme because Japan is a member of OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) which has a rule limiting the Official Development Assistance (ODA) recipient countries according to per capita gross national income.
On the solid bilateral ties between Brunei and Japan, the envoy said, “Japan is the No 1 trading partner of Brunei Darussalam.
In 2015, Japan’s imports from Brunei amounted to $2,348 million and exports from Japan to Brunei stood at $121 million.
“However with the drop in oil and gas prices, the total trade value decreased in 2016 during which period Japan imported goods and services worth $1,688 million from Brunei and exported $83 million of goods and services to the Sultanate.”
According to her, the main import item from Brunei to Japan is liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the decrease in trade value in 2016 was caused by the decline in LNG prices despite the trade volume remaining the same.
The Japanese Ambassador, who has been in the country since 2014, said another potential area of cooperation between the two countries is the food industry.
“Japanese food is gaining popularity in Brunei, and currently, there are more than 30 Japanese restaurants in the country. On the other hand, Japan requires more Halal food as the country is looking at receiving an increased number of Muslim tourists, especially when it hosts the 2020 Olympics and Paralympic Games. I believe that with more efforts from Brunei and Japan, we can increase food-related trade and investment.”
Noriko Iki, the outgoing Ambassador of Japan to Brunei Darussalam. – JAMES KON
Noriko Iki also highlighted the need to completely lift the restrictions on food imports from Japan to further boost food sector cooperation between the two countries.
“The restrictions were introduced as a result of the huge earthquake in eastern Japan and the subsequent nuclear power plant accident in 2011. Thanks to the efforts of the Government of Brunei, the restrictions have been gradually relaxed and we hope that they will be completely lifted in the near future.”
On the recent launch of the $52-million, Japanese-associated SCTSB & VAM@BRN OCTG project in Brunei by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, the envoy commented, “First of all, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the generosity and understanding of His Royal Highness who was present to officially launch the project on May 10, 2017. The project is a great example of Japanese investment that can contribute to the diversification of Brunei’s economy and create local employment.”
Besides SCTSB & VAM@BRN OCTG, she said, “Another good example of Japanese investment is MC Biotech, an astaxanthin production project which started operation in July 2016. The characteristics of these Japanese investments have been consistent with its initial commitments to hire local workforce, introduce new technologies and transfer knowledge to local workforce. I am so proud of these FDI projects from Japan – including BLNG and Brunei Methanol Company.”
On attracting tourists from Brunei to Japan and vice versa, the outgoing Japanese Ambassador agreed that resumption of direct flights between both countries will be beneficial in attracting not only tourists but also investors, while also hoping that Royal Brunei Airlines will fly directly to Japan again in the near future.
“We can have a win-win relationship if we cooperate in attracting tourists. This April, Japan invited a group of Bruneian youths to promote Muslim tourism in Japan through our youth exchange programme called JENESYS. When Brunei tourism found out about the programme, they decided to hand out tourism brochures on Brunei to the participants to promote the Sultanate in Japan.”
Besides increasing the frequency of visits by Japanese travel agents to Brunei, she suggested that more Japanese travel programmes needed to be made on Brunei.
“Two years ago, a Japanese TV channel broadcast a travel show in Brunei and immediately after the programme, we saw an influx of tourists from Japan to Brunei.”
She also revealed that the Japanese Embassy is in talks with Radio Television Brunei (RTB) to start a programme to introduce Japanese culture in Brunei and attract more Bruneians to visit Japan.
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