ASEAN Center boosts export drive to Japan

ASEAN Center boosts export drive to Japan

JAKARTA (JP): The Tokyo-based ASEAN Promotion Center is
committed to improving efforts next year to promote exports from
the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations,
including Indonesia, to Japan.

The National Agency for Export Development (NAFED) said in a
statement here yesterday that the center will hold a special
exhibition on ASEAN products, including gift items, furniture,
high-tech products, apparel and handbag accessories, at the
Permanent Exhibition Hall of Osaka, Japan, on Feb. 13 - 20.

The exhibits will also include jewelry, home furnishing, wood,
leather products, ornamental fish, foodstuff, frozen vegetables,
processed food and cocoa products, the statement said.

Besides Indonesia, ASEAN also groups Brunei, Malaysia, The
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The statement said that the center, which was established by
the association and Japan in 1986, will also arrange visits of
Japanese marketing analysts to the association's member countries
to select products and companies for promotion on the Japanese
market.

The center will also try to find out barriers faced by ASEAN
exporters in selling their products in JAPAN, it said.

The center, in cooperation with the Japan External Trade
Organization (Jetro), has thus far conducted market surveys,
supported companies participating in the World Fashion Trade and
International Housewares Show in Tokyo and organized business
meetings between producers from the ASEAN countries and Japanese
buyers.

For Indonesia, Japan is the biggest market for non-oil
exports, which increased by 15.75 percent to US$4.1 billion in
the January-August period from $3.6 billion in the same period of
last year.(kod)