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.