Policy Proposals  Regional Affairs  Asia and Oceania   Japan-Myanmar Joint Economic Conference Joint Statement

Wednesday, 26 November 2014, at Keidanren Kaikan, Tokyo, Japan

  1. 1. We, KEIDANREN and UMFCCI, successfully held the Japan-Myanmar Joint Economic Conference in Tokyo on Wednesday, 26 November, with the attendance of Mr. Nobuo Katsumata, Chairman of Japan-Myanmar Economic Committee, Mr. Ken Kobayashi, Co-Chairman of Japan-Myanmar Economic Committee and about 110 business leaders from KEIDANREN and Mr. Win Aung, President of UMFCCI, Mr. Zaw Min Win, Vice President of UMFCCI and about 30 business leaders from UMFCCI. At the conference, we had the honor of the attendance of H.E. Mr. Takashi Uto, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Norihiko Ishiguro, Vice-Minister for International Affairs of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and H.E. Mr. Khin Maung Tin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to Japan and as well as receiving strong messages of strengthening bilateral relations from H.E. Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan and H.E U Thein Sein, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.

  2. 2. We welcomed the positive and steady achievements of the Myanmar-Japan Joint Initiative and recent effectuation of the bilateral investment agreement. Additionally, we agreed to cooperate further improvement of investment environment including conclusion of a tax convention.

  3. 3. At the conference, KEIDANREN proposed to promote the following:

    1. (1) on the basis of steady progress in the Thilawa SEZ Project, improvement of transportation infrastructure in surrounding area by utilizing ODA;
    2. (2) development of basic infrastructure by collaborating with private sector;
    3. (3) upgrade of ICT infrastructure by utilizing technologies of Japanese companies;
    4. (4) development of electricity infrastructure including highly-efficient coal power plant.

    UMFCCI proposed the following:

    1. (1) development of infrastructure conducive for economic growth and promotion of investment in Myanmar through ODAs and collaborations between the Myanmar's and Japan's Public and Private sectors.
    2. (2) facilitation of human-resources development in industrial sectors and the entrepreneurial capacity building in Myanmar which are supportive of the private sector growth through assistance and collaboration with Japan, including the supporting of experts to assist current initiatives such as the UMFCCI and JICA's joint initiative of Myanmar Japan Center and the UMFCCI's Vocational Institute.
    3. (3) initiatives providing technical know-how, financial support, and market access opportunities through activities such as increasing the frequency of business matching with respective Japanese counterparts for Myanmar's SMEs as well as other enterprises to help them develop as supporting industries for regional value chains and increase business collaboration with Japan.
    4. (4) technical support and necessary assistance towards the establishment and operation of National Productivity Center in Myanmar, which is to be formed by the UMFCCI with collaboration from METI.
    5. (5) support UMFCCI's training efforts in providing basic as well as business-level Japanese language trainings to better facilitate and promote business exchanges between Myanmar and Japan.
    6. (6) technical support and necessary assistance towards formulation of effective automobile policy and industrial policy for the sustainable economic development of Myanmar.

    We approved each of the proposals made by each side and agreed to continue efforts respectively to realize them.

  4. 4. We encouraged timely implementation of connecting bridges between Yangon and Thilawa for the successful development of the Thilawa SEZ Project.

  5. 5. We reviewed the progress on human resource development in industrial fields since last year's Joint Economic Conference and agreed to promote further cooperation on this.

  6. 6. We agreed to hold the next Japan-Myanmar Joint Economic Conference in Yangon next year at a time convenient to both sides.

Win Aung
President
Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry
Nobuo Katsumata
Chairman
Japan-Myanmar Economic Committee
KEIDANREN


Zaw Min Win
Vice President
Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry
Ken Kobayashi
Co-Chairman
Japan-Myanmar Economic Committee
KEIDANREN