By Asim Hussain
ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani has said that Pakistan and Japan enjoy unique and historic relations with needed to be strengthened further through frequent exchanges at social, political and economic levels.
This was stated by him while talking to Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Wada Mitsuhiro who called on the Senate Chairman here at Parliament House on Friday and exchanged views on matters of bilateral importance. Wide range of issues was discussed by the two sides and they expressed satisfaction at the positive growth in relations between Pakistan and Japan. The meeting agreed to continue to work together for strengthening cordial relationship between Japan and Pakistan, including realization of high-level political dialogues in the near future. They also exchanged views on strengthening the economic relationship, especially in the area of trade and investment.
Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani said that there are numerous Pakistani companies who want to go into joint ventures with their Japanese counterparts but due to the visa restrictions because of Covid-19 they cannot travel to Japan. He exhorted the Japanese Government to consider opening business-related visas so that Pakistani business persons could visit Japan.
During the meeting, Sanjrani underlined that Pakistan always looked to Japan with a sense of respect and veneration as a very important country in Asia, whose economic success and model we wish to emulate.
He expressed hope that the new administration of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is well settled and wished Japan the best in its efforts in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic. The year 2022 is being marked as the “70 anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations” between the two countries. The Foreign Ministries and the respective Missions are working on a road map of programs to befittingly commemorate the anniversary, which should be reflective of the special relationship between Pakistan and Japan over the years.
“Pakistan and Japan have many bilateral institutionalized mechanisms for discussion. We should ensure that regular meetings should take place to allow us to take stock of our bilateral relationship”, the Chairman Senate remarked.
Sanjrani underscored that after the signing of Memoranda of Cooperation on Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) and Specified Skilled Workers (SSW) Programs in 2019, we must now re-double our efforts for these to materialize in earnest. He commended the government of Japan for including Pakistan in the JDS Scholarship Program (the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship by Japanese Grant Aid) in which 20 of our students are provided the opportunity to take part in different graduate programs in Japanese Universities.
Chairman Senate apprised the visiting dignitary that the Ministry of Commerce has conveyed its consent to participate in the Osaka 2025 Expo recently. Pakistan had also voted for Japan’s candidature for hosting the 2025 Expo, he added. Both sides pledged to use their good offices for better relations between the two countries.
INP/SB/AK
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