Rustam Minnikhanov: Tatarstan is ready to provide favorable conditions for running a business for Japanese entrepreneurs

The Republic of Tatarstan may become a launching platform for development of Japanese companies in Russia, the Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov said at the opening of the Russian-Japanese investment forum in Kazan. The Japanese Minister of economy, trade and industry Yukio Edano, Deputy Minister of economic development of Russia Oleg Saveliev, Governor of Ulianovsk oblast Sergey Morozov took part in the event.

The Russian-Japanese investment forum is held for the fifth time. It is organized by the RF Ministry of economic development, the RT Ministry of industry and trade, and the Ministry of economy, trade and industry of Japan. The forum is aimed at facilitating development and consolidation of trade-economic relations and attraction of investments.

Special attention during the V Russian-Japanese investment forum will be paid to cooperation in the sphere of innovations, high-tech production, commercialization of scientific researches and solutions, technologies and tools of financial-credit support of investment projects in the following spheres: fuel and energy complex, chemical industry, medical industry and pharmaceutics. Much emphasis will be put on strategic prospects of regional and interregional cooperation between Russia and Japan.

Top managers of big national corporations of both countries, having experience of efficient cooperation, business associations, representatives of regions and prefectures of Russia and Japan take part in the forum.

The Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov noted in welcoming speech that within the last 10 years Russian-Japanese cooperation has considerably expanded. He said that favorable investment climate and conditions for attracting foreign capital have been created in republic and measures of state support have been developed for investors. The amount of joint ventures with participation of foreign capital increases every year. In 2011, the republic was on the top of the list of 30 best Russian regions for running a business and making investments (Forbes version).

RT President believes that preparation for Universiade 2013, world aquatic championship 2015, world football championship 2018, realization of big infrastructural and industrial projects offer good opportunities for Japanese business.

A number of big Japanese companies are functioning in Tatarstan. In particular, new gas chemical plant Ammony is being constructed in partnership with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Sojitz. Moreover, Tatarstan closely cooperates with Yokogawa Electric. The company implemented works at the largest republican plants: Nizhnekamskneftehim, Kazanorgsintez, TANECO.

Rustam Minnikhanov said that republican leadership is ready to demonstrate investment opportunities of Tatarstan to Japanese businessmen. In his opinion, cooperation between Tatarstan and Japan can be developed in petrochemistry, mechanical engineering, IT, agro-industrial sector, nano- and biotechnologies, production of new materials, development of small and middle-size business.

“We hope you will get acquainted with industrial and investment potential of Tatarstan within the framework of forum. I would like to wish you fruitful work and pleasant impressions from staying in Tatarstan,” Rustam Minnikhanov addressed the audience.

The Japanese Minister of economy, trade and industry Yukio Edano thanked for warm reception and organization of the forum and the meeting of APEC trade ministers. He also expressed gratitude to Russian partners of Japan who supported the country after the earthquake last year.

Yukio Edano told about new economic policy of Japan. According to the minister, the country’s economy faces three tasks. The first one is creation of sectors on producing new goods. The second is consolidation of economic relationships in the Pacific region, and Russia, according to Yukio Edano, is one of the main partners of Japan.

Use of innovations for solving urgent problems in the sphere of energy and ecology is the third task of new economic policy of Japan.

Several agreements were signed between Russia and Japan upon completion of the first plenary session of the forum, - the Memorandum on cooperation between the Government of Ulianovsk oblast and Japanese association ROTOBO, the Agreement on approval of technical requirements for the plant engineering between Marubeni Corporation and OAO “Angara paper”.