Pakistan, Japan deepen business ties as Islamabad diversifies economy further

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani and Japanese business leaders met in Tokyo on Thursday for the 10th Pakistan–Japan Private Sector Business Dialogue, as Islamabad seeks to shift its economy beyond agriculture toward higher-value trade and investment.

According to an official statement, the dialogue focused on expanding bilateral trade, investment ties and strengthening private-sector cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting was co-chaired by Chairman of the Pakistan–Japan Business Forum Murtaza Mandviwalla and Chairman of the Japan–Pakistan Business Co-operation Committee Akira Terakawa. A 26-member Pakistani business delegation participated in the talks, supported by the Japanese committee.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Japan, Abdul Hameed, talked about the fundamentals needed for sustainable economic engagement. He told participants that “trust, continuity, and practical cooperation” were essential to building stronger and more durable business relations between Pakistan and Japan.

The Coordinator to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Commerce and Industry, Rana Ihsan Afzal Khan, outlined Islamabad's evolving economic strategy in his keynote address. He said Pakistan is moving from traditional trade engagement toward "investment-led cooperation and joint value chains," with a focus on standards, reliability and phased implementation. 

He also highlighted Pakistan’s broader economic transformation. He noted that recent structural reforms and the creation of the Special Investment Facilitation Council had improved coordination and investor confidence. This has helped attract increased foreign investment in important sectors.

The discussions covered multiple sectors as both sides committed to long-term collaboration, according to the official statement.