KARACHI – A delegation of Pakistani textile exporters is set to depart for Japan to evaluate the potentially lucrative market. A Pakistani mission in collaboration with Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) would assess the market in the foreign country.
This was stated by Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Chief Executive Tariq Iqbal Puri, while speaking to media personnel after communicating with Lahore based members of the delegation through video conferencing, at the TDAP office. Representatives of JETRO and JICA were also present on the occasion.
He said that the authority has launched activities to promote export in Japanese market in collaboration with JETRO and JICA. In this connection TDAP was sending an exploratory mission of exporters of fabric/clothing to Japan Fashion Week – International Fashion Fair (JFW-IFF) between January 26th and the 28th.
The CE said that Japan was a very big market with textile / garments / towels import worth $20 billion. He stressed that Pakistan was needed to avail the valuable trade opportunity with almost 85 percent garments required by Japan being imported from China beside the foreign country was also in the process of diversifying their textile imports from other parts of the region like Indonesia, Vietnam, and Bangladesh.
According to the CE, as the country was already exporting its major readymade garment to USA and members of European Union, quality was not an issue with regards to enter the huge market in Tokyo. The country was already manufacturing for notable brands such as Levis, Hilfiger, Nike, GAP, Tommy Hilfiger, Chaps, Russell and Ralph Lauren, Polo, Goodies, Van Heusen, Calvin Klein and Eddie Bauer.
Only a consistent and sustained marketing and technological support campaign was needed to enter into Japanese market, he opined. Releasing details on the proposed mission, he said, in the first phase the exploratory mission would conduct market study. A delegation of major garment exporters who met him on Friday would also be sent to Japan to seek market access and opportunities. The delegation, would be participating in JFW-IFF scheduled in July this year, he added. Over the next three to five years TDAP collaborating with JETRO will send teams towards the establishment and establishment of joint ventures with Japanese companies for the promotion of Pakistani products, he said. Earlier the CE, TDAP interacted with Lahore-based members of the delegation through video conferencing on Friday conveyed that TDAP has finalised arrangements and the provision of facilities including affixation of visas. He said JETRO has already fixed commercial meetings with Japanese powerhouses including Mitsui-Bussan Inter, Fashion Ltd, Sojitz Corporatin, Marubeni Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation and visits to big chain stores in Japan, UNQLO and ISETAN.
