ASEAN trade fair in Japan

ASEAN trade fair in Japan

TOKYO (AFP): About 170 companies from the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) started yesterday a five-day
trade fair in Osaka, organizers said.

"Quite a few number of Japanese companies are sending
officials to the fair to hammer out business deals," an Osaka
municipal government official said.

The fair is sponsored by the ASEAN Center, an organization set
up by the six original ASEAN nations and Japan, and backed by the
Osaka government, embassies, Japanese ministries and other
bodies.

Vietnam in July joined the group of Brunei, Indonesia,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.