Japan has expressed strong desire to expand relations with Pakistan in different fields including trade, economy, investment, military and sports besides enhancing political and cultural exchanges.     

The views were expressed by Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan Kuninori Matsuda in an exclusive interview with Radio Pakistan on Wednesday. Giving a complete background of historic relations between Pakistan and Japan, the Japanese Ambassador said the bilateral relations between the two countries have strengthened with the passage of time. He said both the countries will celebrate next year the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. He said they will continue cooperation with Pakistani partners in different fields for peace, stability and development in the region. Alluding to the Japanese cooperation to Pakistan in the areas of road infrastructure, power generation and polio eradication, the Japanese envoy said his country will prioritize development of those areas which is the requirement of Pakistan. He said Pakistan can also benefit from the latest technology and expertise of Japan in the areas of water and sanitation, health, education and to cope with the natural disasters.  The Japanese Ambassador said we also want to extend cooperation to Pakistan in import substitution and promotion of its exports. He pointed out that there is great demand for agricultural products in Japan including that of Basmati rice, Mango, sesame, dates, salt and textiles. Referring to Pakistan's fisheries potential, he said his country will support the country to strengthen this sector to enhance its exports to Japan and other countries. The Japanese Ambassador said Japan has offered services to Pakistan for the development of a weather surveillance network to deal with the floods triggered by monsoon rains. As a result of this, ninety percent of Pakistani land can be seen through Japanese Weather Surveillance Radar Network. He said in future we intend to upgrade the Radio and TV networks so that the people have fast access to information generated by these networks. Referring to Pakistan's diverse landscape, the Japanese Ambassador said the security situation has significantly improved in Pakistan. He said the country has a great potential of attracting tourists not only from Japan but the entire world. He also expressed his gratitude to Pakistani people for taking interest in Japanese culture and language. To a question, the Japanese Ambassador said Japan has been opened for jobs and training. He said given the low birth rate and aging population, there is huge shortage of skilled workforce in Japan. He said there is great room for Pakistani  human resource especially in the field of Information Technology. He said these IT experts are not required to learn the Japanese language and they can work in English language. Answering a question, Kuninori Matsuda said Japan offers scholarships for graduate and undergraduate studies to international students as well as training for teachers of primary and secondary educational institutions and midcareer government employees. He invited brilliant students from Pakistan to apply for the Japanese Government-sponsored scholarships. The Ambassador said efforts will be made to enhance international scholarships for Pakistani students. Responding to another question about the cooperation extended by Japan for upgradation of infrastructure of Radio Pakistan,  Kuninori Matsuda said the repair and rehabilitation of PBC Headquarters Islamabad and Faqirabad Transmission station was completed at a cost of 1.385 billion Yen. He said we are now planning for the repair and rehabilitation of Karachi transmission station. He assured to continue cooperation with the PBC saying he is impressed with the professionalism of its staff.