Senate: Abrudean discussed with Japanese investors and senior dignitaries about expanding co-operation in several areas

The president of the Senate, Mircea Abrudean, on an official visit to Japan, between 25 and 28 June, on the occasion of Expo Osaka 2025 met, on Friday the representatives of the institutions and the business environment in Tokyo and the president of the House of Representatives in the Japanese Diet, Fukushiro Nukaga.During  the meeting,  Fujushiro Nukaga’s contribution to the foundation of the bilateral Strategic Partnership was highlighted. The Romanian side invited him to pay a working visit to Bucharest with the aim of identifying ways to bring the Romanian-Japanese parliamentary cooperation with the aim of identifying ways to bring the Romanian-Japanese parliamentary cooperation up to the level of the Strategic Partnership, including by organising specialized forums dedicated to energy, innovation, education and economy.During the meeting with the parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs, Akiko Ikuina, the Romanian party expressed his gratitude for the support offered to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova in the context of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.The vice-minister expressed the wish of the Japanese party to intensify economic cooperation with Romania, including through the opportunities offered by the Osaka Exhibition.During the two meetings, the Romanian delegation called for: Japan's continued support for Romania's accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a national strategic objective; a more active involvement of Japan in strengthening the security architecture in the Black Sea region; exploiting Romania's potential as a main logistical hub for the reconstruction of Ukraine; intensifying the participation of the Japanese private sector in the Three Seas Initiative projects; deepening the EU-Japan partnership in areas of common interest, such as security, combating hybrid threats, investment, connectivity, science, technology and innovation. In the context of strengthening the bilateral economic and technological relations, Mircea Abrudean invited the Confederation of Employers of Japan - Keidanren to visit Romania to participate in the Romania-Japan Innovation Forum, which will take place in October in Iasi. Keidanren represents the most ample and influential business organisation in Japan, gathering the big Japanese corporations such as auto industry, electronics, banking sector, energy and other strategic branches. The Keidanren members, among which there are companies such as Toyota, Sumitomo, Mitsui&Co, Sony or Panasonic contribute to Japan’s economy with approximately 300 – 420 trillion yeni, the equivalent of almost 50-70% of the gross domestic product of Japan.The Romanian side also encouraged the involvement of Keidanren members in strategic development projects, Romania being currently the most important logistical hub for the reconstruction of Ukraine. The meetings with the business community were attended by Keidanren Vice President and Hitachi representative Mr Toshiaki Higashihara, Mitsubishi representative Mr Ichiro Hara and Keidanren Director Mr Yoji Saito.   'Mitsubishi has expressed its intention to actively contribute to the modernisation of public transport in Romania, while Hitachi has expressed its willingness to support projects to modernise the national railway system, as well as to build factories to produce SMR (modular nuclear reactor) components', the Senate press release said. The Senate President also met with the Executive Vice President of NTT Data, Mr Tadaoki Nishimura.   NTT Data recently inaugurated a Romania-Japan Software Development Centre in Cluj-Napoca, a move that reflects the confidence of Japanese investors in the prospects of the Romanian economy. The management of NTT Data has announced its intention to increase its presence in Romania by about 300 per cent, provided that a stable political and economic climate is maintained.   The Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Data (NTT) Group currently employs more than 1,800 people in Romania and has an annual turnover in excess of €100 million, including digital services for the citizens of Cluj-Napoca. (Photo: www.mae.ro)