Commerce Minister goes to Japan to Promote Thai Business

Apart from meeting with the Nagoya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mrs Porntiva met representatives from the automotive, financial and banking sectors as well as local retailers.

After her meetings, the minister said the Japanese still regard Thailand as a potential investment base and an important gateway to markets of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and East Asia.

Mrs Pornthiva also met with Noritada Mitsubayashi, President of Yamamori, a successful producer of Japanese sauces, seasonings and instant foods who made many recommendations on how Thailand can become more competitive in the Japanese instant food market. The company has been selling Thai instant foods in Japan since 2000 and has a 70 per cent market share in that sector of the market.

The ministry will consider the recommendations to improve and promote Thai food products in Japan in the future.

Yamamori has a factory in Chacheongsao and is eyeing greater investment in Thailand.

Mrs Porntiva was in Japan to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Trade Ministers meeting in Sapporo, Hokkaido, on June 5-6. This was the first of a series of APEC ministerial meetings to be chaired by Japan this year.