In a bid to support the Pakistani textile sector, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Yokohama is currently in discussions with the Pakistani government to chalk out possible avenues to assist the sector. It is among the Japanese development agencies that are working hard to increase the level of textile imports from the Pakistan.
Hideaki Shimizu, who served as an adviser in the textile sector to JICA for two years until 2015, has always believed in the potential of Pakistan. “Pakistan is traditionally a cotton-producing country, and has done well in recent years to integrate production and improve both upstream and downstream operations,” he said.
The current efforts by the development agencies of Japan is a consequence of a number of efforts taken last year. In 2015, JICA supported a delegation of Japanese businesspersons during Expo Pakistan, the country’s largest trade fair, and arranged a delegation of executives from Pakistan’s leading textile companies to Thailand. A Pakistan-Japan Textile Day was held in October 2015 that brought Japanese companies to Lahore and Faisalabad — a step to introduce manufacturers and buyers.
Daisuke Fukumori, Deputy Director of JICA’s South Asia division, said “We are currently in the negotiations stage, and information regarding the projects that Japan can undertake has not yet been confirmed.” He further stated, “Details of the final package will be designed to meet the needs of the Pakistani government, and the agreement should be completed within this year.”
