Arab News Japan 

TOKYO: Moroccan ambassador to Japan, Rachad Bouhlal, held a reception on Friday in honor of two bilateral agreements, the Elimination of Double Taxation and Promotion and Protection of Investments between the Kingdom of Morocco and Japan. 

Japanese officials attending the event included former foreign minister NAKASONE Yasuhiro, President of the Japan-Morocco Parliamentary Friendship Association, HONDA Taro, deputy minister of foreign affairs, KIICHI Minoru, member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs  Committee, and NOBUHIKO Sasaki, Chairman and the President Executive Director of Japan Foreign Trade Organization (JETRO).

They stressed the importance of present relations and prospects between both countries. 

Moroccan ambassador Bouhlal praised the efforts of State Minister for Foreign Affairs SUZUKI Keisuke, whose delegation to Morocco was instrumental in the ratification of the two agreements signed on January 8, 2020, and effective from April 23, 2022.

Ambassador Bouhlal said that Japan became the largest foreign private employer in Morocco over the last decade, creating more than 50,000 jobs and helping Morocco’s automotive sector become the top export industry.

Bouhlal said that Morocco has also become a world leader in renewable energy, targeting 52% of the national electricity by 2030. He pointed out the opportunities for Japan to invest in this area and agriculture and fertilizers. 

The Moroccan Investment and Exports Development Agency (AMDIE), equivalent to JETRO, has introduced the Japanese language on its website to assist potential investors, and the annual visits to Tokyo of Morocco’s Minister of investments will resume in June.    

Ambassador Bouhlal also said that vaccination efforts during the pandemic had been successful and that tourists were returning. He stressed the location and quality of port services in Morocco, which made it an important supply chain hub for the European market.

Former foreign minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, speaking on behalf of the Japan-Morocco Parliamentary Friendship League, hailed the increased potential for Japanese companies and said the Japan-Morocco Parliamentary Friendship League will contribute to the development of friendly relations between the two countries.

Taro Honda, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, welcomed the Japan-Morocco Investment Agreement and the Tax Convention on behalf of the government of Japan.

He said that Morocco has abundant human resources centered on young people and has been actively attracting foreign investment by establishing special economic zones while taking advantage of its proximity to Europe and Africa. 

Honda remarked on the increase of Japanese companies from 23 to more than 70 entering the Moroccan market over the last ten years. He said Tokyo will continue to support the expansion of Japanese companies and promote high-quality investment with cutting-edge technologies.

Minoru Kiuchi, a member of the House of Representatives and chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, said that Morocco had created an optimal investment climate for Japanese businesses. He also talked about the many opportunities for Japan’s private sector in energy. 

Kiuchi said that the two nations had worked together in a variety of fields since diplomatic relations were established in 1956

Sasaki Nobuhiko, Chairman and CEO of JETRO, said that they had established an office in Rabat in 2014 to promote trade and investment, working closely with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, AMDIE.

He said that Morocco’s stability, large domestic market, and industrial policies were enticing for Japanese manufacturers. He talked of future industries such as aviation and Japanese food.