AFP
Workers prepare geckos to be dried for export and used in medicine and skin care products on May 6, 2010 in Probolinggo, East Java, Indonesia. Gecko trade is on the rise as demand grows throughout countries including China, Japan and South East Asia, where the dried geckos are used for medicinal and beauty productsSURABAYA - The East Java provincial administration wished to increase trade and investment cooperation with the Japanese government. The wish was expressed by East Java Governor Soekarwo to chairman of the Indonesia-Japan Industrial Association Hajime Kinoshita, and Indonesian Consul General in Osaka Mozes Tandung Lelating in Surabaya Tuesday.
He said the province since 1984 had a cooperation with the Osaka Prefecture in health, environment, ports and youth affairs. "We wished increased cooperation in trade and investment," he told a Japanese trade delegation led by Hajime.
He also said that Japan was one of the leading investors in East Java with an investment of 2.264 million US dollars from 161 projects with the employment of 14,857 local and 380 foreign workers. Japan’s business operations in East Java covered the chemical industry, food and drinks industry, trade, wood industry, non-metal mineral industry, and other services.
In the meantime, Hajime said that his side welcomed the East Java administration’s wish to constantly increase cooperation in many sectors. "The East Java administration and the Japanese government shared the same wish and interest," he said.
He brought the Japanese investors as a follow up of the governor’s visit to Osaka from June 20 to 25, 2010. Hajime said right now 600 Japanese people are living in Surabaya, including 100 small and big scale business players in various sectors.
He also said that in the last 50 years Indonesia and Japan had already been engaged in cooperation in many sectors, which are expected to increase regularly. Japan is interested in investment in agriculture, shipping, and transportation. Hajime said the province has very promising natural resources, including agriculture, trade, shipping and transportation.
On the occasion he also invited East Java business players to offer the existing potentials to Japanese investors. And his side was even ready in helping market the products of leading industries and small and medium enterprises. In the meantime, head of the East Java industrial and trade agency Fatah Jasin said East Java’s nonoil/gas exports to Japan in November last year reached 173.61 million US dollars.
The export commodities included copper, tin, processed timber, pulp and paper, shrimp, electrical equipment, iron and steel, processed rubber, textiles, ceramics, marble, glass and plastic. In 2007 Japan was the biggest export destination of East Java, followed by Malaysia, the US, China, and South Korea.
In the meantime, the province’s imports from Japan last year reached 43.31 million US dollars, and Indonesia’s fifth biggest importing country. The import commodities from Japan included base chemicals, essential oils, fertilizers, and electronic products.
source : kompas.com
