The Director of the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency of BiH (FIPA) Milica Marković talked with the Ambassador of Japan to BiH, HE Makoto Ito on the possibilities for improving economic cooperation and attracting investments from Japan to BiH.

It was agreed to organize a high-level Business Forum in the presence of relevant ministers and representatives of the two countries, at which investment opportunities, business environment and investment projects from Bosnia and Herzegovina would be presented to Japanese companies, especially those which have been already operating in the region and Europe and which have intentions of further expansion.

It was pointed out that in addition to the automotive industry; there are numerous opportunities in the food production sector, health tourism and the IT sector.

In addition to FIPA and relevant BiH Ministries and institutions, the organization of the planned forum will include the Embassy of Japan in BiH, the representative of FIPA in Japan Mr Shigehiko Nishihama and the Foreign Trade Organization of Japan JETRO from Vienna with the aim to gather as many Japanese businessmen, potential investors, in order to present them investment opportunities of BiH.

Considering the fact that there are no significant registered investments from Japan in BiH, this event is an excellent opportunity to promote Bosnia and Herzegovina and to change the current situation in the field of investments.

As a result of the visit of about twenty Japanese investors to BiH in October 2016, four of them had meetings with the Japanese company Makita from Romania to discuss the possibility of cooperation.

Director Marković pointed out that Japanese investments are welcome, because the BiH economy and citizens of BiH have great confidence in Japanese diligence and precision.

Considering that Japan is one of the largest donors in our country (from 1996 to 2020, about 1 billion BAM were given through grants in all parts of BiH), Director Marković used the opportunity to thank Japan for its assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina.