JAPAN has emerged as one of Bahrain’s major trading partners, accounting for approximately 33.5 per cent of Bahrain’s world trade.
The volume of trade between Japan and Bahrain jumped up to $666.1 million last year up from $485 million in year 2003, Ambassador of Japan Takao Natsume, on the occasion of the 72nd birthday of Japan’s Emperior Akihito, said yesterday.
The envoy said relations between Japan and Bahrain date back 71 years which witnessed the despatch of the very first Bahraini oil shipment to Japan after the discovery of oil in Bahrain in 1932. He said both governments have been working hard to explore all possible avenues of cooperation to enhance ties in trade, investment, commercial and political as well social and cultural areas.
Bahrain’s exports surged to $275.5 million in the year 2004 and imports reached $390.7 million mark. Japan’s imports from Bahrain have been mainly petroleum products and aluminium while Bahrain’s major imports from Japan have been machinery and equipment, transport equipment, cars, vehicles and electronics.
Natsume said Bahrain, being a banking hub in the region, has been a key country for Japan with four Japanese banks at present in Bahrain. “The total number of Japanese companies is 12 in Bahrain with a security company, three trading companies, three manufacturing companies among them. Japan has been the top donor to Bahrain among DAC countries over the last 18 years.
Japan’s ODA disbursements to Bahrain are mainly in technical cooperation which consists of the “despatch of experts” and “acceptance of trainees.”
“Japan International Cooperation Agency organised a visit of 22 experts to Bahrain since 1982 in the fields of vocational training, electronic, automobile, ship maintenance, sheep breeding, fish hatchery, a development of small and medium-sized industries, instrumentation and control engineering, fishery stock, development of petrochemicals and plastics, fish diseases, comprehensive waste management, petrochemicals and plastic advisery, environmental standardisation, industrial standards, in-plant training and developing export market.
Last update on: 22-12-2005