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)