Deeper economic ties between Japan and the Philippines is expected to come about, and a number of Japanese companies have expressed interest in investing in industries related to environment, infrastructure and disaster preparedness, a Philippine and Japanese official in Osaka said.
There's a lot of economic interest in the Philippines from Japanese companies, Consul General Maria Teresa Taguiang told GMA News Online during the Sakai-ASEAN week reception dinner last week.
Philippine economic managers were recently in Tokyo to showcase $12.28 billion worth of infrastructure projects targeted to be rolled out in the next 12 months under the public-private partnership (PPP) program, as well as energy-exploration opportunities and income potentials in tourism and financial instruments.
Taguiang noted the Kansai Economic Federation (Kankeiren) – a chamber of commerce – went to the Philippines on September 26.
"These are the big companies. They had roundtable discussions with ADB (Asian Development Bank), PCCI (Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry)...
"And there is going to be a counter visit with the PCCI here next year," she said.
Kankairen is a private, non-profit organization composed of the biggest companies in Kansai region, which encompasses the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hy?go, and Shiga.
"Osaka-based companies, in particular... Their interests are in infrastructure, disaster preparedness, environment – like water treatment," Taguiang said.
"Osaka is what they call the water city, so they have very advanced companies that are specializing in water industry whether its water treatment," she noted.
Life Seeder
In disaster-preparedness, Shigi Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. – a specialized boat manufacturer based in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture – is looking at selling its products to the Philippines.
Shigi has been producing a wide variety of lifeboats and rescue boats in the last 80 years.
And since the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011 – which took the lives of over 18,000 people and triggered a nuclear catastrophe in Fukushima – Shigi started to develop lifeboats, especially for tsunamis and heavy flooding.
Research and development of the tsunami lifeboat – called Life Seeder – started after the 2011 disaster in Japan. The first of its kind was finished in April 2014, Shigi factory manager Akio Hirano, said in an interview with Southeast Asian reporters during a factory tour.
"Demand is mostly from Japanese shipping and shipbuilding companies," he said.
While the Japanese government has been carrying out research to place lifeboats throughout the Japanese coast, Shigi has yet to receive any tender from government, said Nobuaki Kuriga of Shigi's product development.
Built as a resilient lifeboat against flood and tsunami, the Life Seeder has a capacity of 25 people and can serve as an emergency shelter in case of natural calamities.
While the company intends to sell the Life Seeder globally, it may take some time to realize that global dream as it aims to first spread the product throughout Japan, Hirano said. "For now, our country has a lot of earthquake, our aim is to spread the Life Seeder all over Japan," he noted.
"We want to sell a lot of Life Seeders and, in the future, we want to make a small version that can be accommodated in people's garages," the official added.
Hirano noted they may look at countries that are prone to floods and earthquakes.
"In the future, we want to go to those countries to sell these lifeboats, like Philippines and other countries with a lot of flood problems," he said.
The Philippines, like Japan, is along a typhoon belt and the so-called Ring of Fire, an area where large numbers of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in the Pacific Ocean.
Then and now
Trade between the Philippines and Sakai City has been strong since the 15th century, Sakai City Mayor Osami Takeyama said in an interview with GMA News Online.
There is a legend of one famous Sakai-based trader named Naya Sukezaemon, which became wealthy by selling pottery from the main island of Luzon, which led him to change his name to Luzon Sukezaemon, he noted.
The Sakai mayor also cited Shimano Corp., a Sakai-based bicycle and parts manufacturer, which exports products bearing the company name to the Philippines.
"Some SMEs in Sakai are now investing in the Philippines. These companies say that people in the Philippines are very industrious, very hard working, and have very high productivity level, so this is an economic relationship between Philippines and Sakai," he said.
"This relationship has been lasting since then, I believe the ties will get stronger," he added.
The media tour for the 2014 Sakai ASEAN Week was organized and sponsored by the city government of Sakai in cooperation with several private groups. – VS, GMA News
PHL-Japan ties to grow still deeper, officials say | Economy | GMA News Online
There's a lot of economic interest in the Philippines from Japanese companies, Consul General Maria Teresa Taguiang told GMA News Online during the Sakai-ASEAN week reception dinner last week.
Philippine economic managers were recently in Tokyo to showcase $12.28 billion worth of infrastructure projects targeted to be rolled out in the next 12 months under the public-private partnership (PPP) program, as well as energy-exploration opportunities and income potentials in tourism and financial instruments.
Taguiang noted the Kansai Economic Federation (Kankeiren) – a chamber of commerce – went to the Philippines on September 26.
"These are the big companies. They had roundtable discussions with ADB (Asian Development Bank), PCCI (Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry)...
"And there is going to be a counter visit with the PCCI here next year," she said.
Kankairen is a private, non-profit organization composed of the biggest companies in Kansai region, which encompasses the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hy?go, and Shiga.
"Osaka-based companies, in particular... Their interests are in infrastructure, disaster preparedness, environment – like water treatment," Taguiang said.
"Osaka is what they call the water city, so they have very advanced companies that are specializing in water industry whether its water treatment," she noted.
Life Seeder
In disaster-preparedness, Shigi Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. – a specialized boat manufacturer based in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture – is looking at selling its products to the Philippines.
Shigi has been producing a wide variety of lifeboats and rescue boats in the last 80 years.
And since the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011 – which took the lives of over 18,000 people and triggered a nuclear catastrophe in Fukushima – Shigi started to develop lifeboats, especially for tsunamis and heavy flooding.
Research and development of the tsunami lifeboat – called Life Seeder – started after the 2011 disaster in Japan. The first of its kind was finished in April 2014, Shigi factory manager Akio Hirano, said in an interview with Southeast Asian reporters during a factory tour.
"Demand is mostly from Japanese shipping and shipbuilding companies," he said.
While the Japanese government has been carrying out research to place lifeboats throughout the Japanese coast, Shigi has yet to receive any tender from government, said Nobuaki Kuriga of Shigi's product development.
Built as a resilient lifeboat against flood and tsunami, the Life Seeder has a capacity of 25 people and can serve as an emergency shelter in case of natural calamities.
While the company intends to sell the Life Seeder globally, it may take some time to realize that global dream as it aims to first spread the product throughout Japan, Hirano said. "For now, our country has a lot of earthquake, our aim is to spread the Life Seeder all over Japan," he noted.
"We want to sell a lot of Life Seeders and, in the future, we want to make a small version that can be accommodated in people's garages," the official added.
Hirano noted they may look at countries that are prone to floods and earthquakes.
"In the future, we want to go to those countries to sell these lifeboats, like Philippines and other countries with a lot of flood problems," he said.
The Philippines, like Japan, is along a typhoon belt and the so-called Ring of Fire, an area where large numbers of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in the Pacific Ocean.
Then and now
Trade between the Philippines and Sakai City has been strong since the 15th century, Sakai City Mayor Osami Takeyama said in an interview with GMA News Online.
There is a legend of one famous Sakai-based trader named Naya Sukezaemon, which became wealthy by selling pottery from the main island of Luzon, which led him to change his name to Luzon Sukezaemon, he noted.
The Sakai mayor also cited Shimano Corp., a Sakai-based bicycle and parts manufacturer, which exports products bearing the company name to the Philippines.
"Some SMEs in Sakai are now investing in the Philippines. These companies say that people in the Philippines are very industrious, very hard working, and have very high productivity level, so this is an economic relationship between Philippines and Sakai," he said.
"This relationship has been lasting since then, I believe the ties will get stronger," he added.
The media tour for the 2014 Sakai ASEAN Week was organized and sponsored by the city government of Sakai in cooperation with several private groups. – VS, GMA News
PHL-Japan ties to grow still deeper, officials say | Economy | GMA News Online
Bro ,Don't over think , it 's only marvel at japan is still powefull ,and economy still have dynamic . As japonic neighboor, why can't praise him ?
You saying it weird
