Romania draws a special and growing interest from Japan, given its strategic geographical position in Europe, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe said in an interview with local newspaper Ziarul Financiar.

Abe is on an official visit to Romania today, where he will meet president Klaus Iohannis. He was also supposed to meet PM Mihai Tudose, but the meeting is now uncertain after Tudose announced his resignation last night.

This is not Abe’s first visit to Romania as he also visited the country some 35 years ago, when he was working as a secretary to the Japanese foreign affairs minister, his father Shintaro Abe, he told Ziarul Financiar. He remembers visiting Bucharest and the Neptun seaside resort.

“The main pillar for strengthening the cooperation between our countries is, undoubtedly, the economic one. A high number of Japanese companies have already established offices and factories in Romania, creating close to 40,000 jobs, which has turned Japan into the biggest Asian investor in Romania,” Shinzo Abe said.

“Besides the numerous and well qualifies workforce, Romania enjoys a favorable situation in the IT sector. Considering the development potential of the Romanian economy, I think that we can further develop our economic relations,” he added.

The Japanese PM comes to Romania today accompanied by the representatives of many Japanese companies active in sectors such as infrastructure and automotive. Abe thinks that the economic partnership agreement between Japan and the European Union will further boost the trade between Romania and Japan.

Japanese companies are involved in big infrastructure projects in Romania, such as the subway line that will connect Bucharest to the Otopeni airport and the suspended bridge over the Danube at Braila. Japanese investors are also active in the automotive sector, where they own several big factories.

editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Japan – The Government of Japan Facebook page)