Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary and 2017 ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) chair Ramon Lopez reported that the Philippines successfully advanced ASEAN’s objective to engage Japan on innovation, the inclusivity of the region’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) during the AEM Roadshow to Japan from 6 to 8 April 2017.
The ASEAN Delegation with ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh held a substantive discussion with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Minister Hiroshige Seko of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and key local government officials to discuss measures to enhance ASEAN-Japan economic relations.
The Delegation also met with the Parliamentary Association for the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and some economic organizations such as the ASEAN–Japan Business Council and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council.
MSME development
“We learned how Japanese start-ups make an impact on the economy through their innovative and creative ideas,” said Sec. Lopez, whose thrust at the domestic front is to empower MSMEs through an innovation-led, productivity-oriented framework.
The Delegation traveled to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Wakayama and gathered insights on how Japan managed to gain its stature as a global leader for innovation. Specific sites visited were Hitachi Ltd., Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Panasonic Konosuke Matsushita Museum and Shima Seiki Manufacturing Ltd.
The Delegation also met Osaka Governor Ichirō Matsui and Osaka Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura. The Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City governments have been long partners with Philippine government agencies in promoting investments of their small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Philippines. Osaka City has become Manila’s Business Partner City since October 1989. On the other hand, Osaka Prefecture is the first prefecture to sign an investment promotion Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) in January 2016.
In September 2017, Osaka City will organize a business matching event between Japanese and the Filipino SMEs in automotive and aerospace parts manufacturing and electronics contract manufacturing.