Japan eyes stronger economic ties with UAE

Organised under the Patronage of the UAE President, HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Environment 2007 exhibition will take place at the Abu Dhabi International Exhibition Centre between 28 and 31 January, 2007.

Mr. Osamu Watanabe, Chairman and CEO, JETRO, said:

"This exhibition is a symbol of our continued efforts to strengthen our diplomatic ties between the UAE and Japan. Since our initial exhibition in 2002, the economic ties between our countries have gone from strength to strength, particularly in the areas of energy and infrastructure development. We hope that the large number of participants taking part in the Japanese pavilion at Environment 2007 will deepen mutual understanding between our two nations, in addition to promoting trade tie-ups and technology cooperation."

The special Japanese pavilion will also commemorate the completion of 35 years of diplomatic ties between Japan and the UAE, and will house over 40 of Japan's key players within the industrial environment sector. Amongst the list of exhibitors, Hitachi, Nissan and Panasonic will be presenting their latest products and technology for the first time in this region.

The pavilion will cover a variety of areas pertaining to the environmental considerations of the region, which include air pollution control, water purification, power generation and desalination.

Japan's eco-business market has seen tremendous growth in recent years and its expertise in the field will be a major contributing factor to a region, given the demand for large-scale real estate projects. According to the Japanese Ministry of Environment, the country's eco business will grow to over US $ 400 billion, with its Clean Energy and Waste Treatment Sector commanding over US$ 100 billion in growth.

Mr. Seiji Koyanagi, Managing Director, Panasonic Marketing Middle East added, "The Middle East market for consumer electronics is constantly evolving and growing. One of the recent trends we have witness worldwide, is the gradual shift of consumers towards products that have been produced whilst keeping the needs of the environment in mind. Our participation at this pavilion is evidence of Panasonic's initiative to provide our consumers with products that are not only on the cutting edge of technology, but also help towards a better environmental future for the consumer of the future. Our reputation within the UAE has grown tremendously, and we look to strengthen our presence within the UAE, a market which has an increasing growth potential, through participating in exhibition geared towards strengthening economic ties between UAE and Japan."

The UAE Government, which ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 2005, has since been taking great measures towards environmental conservation. With over 200 Japanese companies already based in the UAE, the Japanese government hopes that with the conclusion of the free trade agreement talks with the GCC, the ties between the two countries would further be enhanced especially within this sector.

"The market for environment related projects in this region is tremendous with both Middle East and North African countries looking to invest in this industry. The participation of Japan in Environment 2007, is an important step in establishing this exhibition as a commentator on the growing eco-business industry. Our relationship with the Japanese economy will enable us to use their expertise within this field to better maintain, and sustain the growth of our economy for future generations," commented Mr. Abdulla Omar, Managing Director, Reed Exhibitions Middle East, the organiser of Environment 2007.

The organisers of this exhibition have received a tremendous response from exhibitors with more than 80% of the space already being booked by the end of last year. The event targets over 375 exhibitors from around the world, and is the fourth in the series of exhibitions and conferences since initiated in 2001.