The Seminar was organized by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co.,Ltd with the support of Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).

50 Japanese investors who have important interest in investing in this region or in doing business participated at this event.

In January 2018, during the visit of Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan, to Bulgaria and Serbia, he proposed the launch of Western Balkans Cooperation Initiative to establish and to expand cooperation with Western Balkans region.

Based on this initiative, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan asked Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co., Ltd to explore the investment opportunities and investment environment in Western Balkans, including BiH.

On 22 January 2019, the Research Analyst of Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co.,Ltd. Mr Shin Egishi visited FIPA of BiH where he got all necessary information related to investment opportunities of BiH.

At the seminar were presented data from FIPA brochures. Investors appreciated BiH especially in the field of electric power production, high quality labour, good location to EU countries. It was also pointed out that BiH has good position related to EU when it comes to production and supply of auto or machine component, and position for production and export food or light industry products to Northen Africa and Islamic countries.

The FIPA Representative in Japan, Shigehiko Nishihama gave a supplementary explanation and emphasized that it is time to consider to invest in BiH and to move Japanese companies which have already invested in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary to BiH.

The seminar was successful.

Mr Nishihama will continue to do best to attract the concrete investment from Japan.