Joint Cooperation Aimed at Boosting Iran-Japan Economic Relations

TEHRAN (Iran News) According to a statement from TCCIMA’s public relations office, the meeting focused on fostering constructive dialogue and exploring potential areas for collaboration. Mahmoud Najafi-Arab, President of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the history of positive economic and investment ties between the two countries. However, he acknowledged that due to international sanctions, Japanese companies have exercised increased caution in their dealings with Iran, resulting in a decline in economic engagement in recent years.

Najafi-Arab stressed that the current conditions are not permanent and urged Japanese companies to establish their presence in Iran’s market early on. He proposed that continuous engagement between TCCIMA and JETRO’s Tehran office could help identify mutual economic opportunities. He also expressed TCCIMA’s readiness to sign a formal cooperation agreement with JETRO, pointing to promising fields for collaboration such as pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, automotive industries, education, and startups. He further suggested initiating formal communication between TCCIMA and the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Fereydoun Verdinejad, Secretary-General of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, also voiced the Chamber’s commitment to strengthening ties with JETRO. He emphasized the need for mechanisms to facilitate information exchange between Iranian and Japanese companies and economic actors. Verdinejad added that TCCIMA could serve as a platform for transferring Japanese technical and managerial knowledge to the Iranian business community.

Nobutaka Makawa, Executive Vice President of JETRO, welcomed the proposal to sign a cooperation agreement and stressed the importance of carefully reviewing its terms. He expressed satisfaction with the Tehran Chamber’s proactive approach and affirmed JETRO’s intent to deepen its cooperation with TCCIMA as part of broader efforts to expand Japan-Iran economic interactions.

The meeting concluded on a positive and constructive note, with both sides agreeing to continue consultations aimed at identifying and pursuing joint economic opportunities.