Trade expert reveals needs of Japanese importers
Trade expert reveals needs of Japanese importers
If Lao exporters want to be successful trading with Japanese buyers, especially in the field of clothing products, exporters should stick to delivery times and provide stable supply, a Japanese trade expert advised Lao business sectors.
“Timely delivery of products is a priority for exporters to keep in mind when it comes to issues of trading with Japan because Japanese buyers stick to timelines,” Mr Masayuki Shibata, a senior Japanese trade expert said at a seminar in Vientiane yesterday.
He said the high quality of products and proper packaging were also two important factors that Japanese buyers care a lot about.
“Clothing products such as shirts, skirts and other apparel should not have any scars on it; if they find a minor scar on products, they will return products immediately,” Mr Shibata said.
He also advised exporters that they need to consult with Japanese companies before sending their products to Japan in order to avoid any problems.
Mr Masayuki Shibata is a senior expert of the Manufactured Imports and Investment Promotion Organisation (MIPRO), a non-profit corporation and also a representative of Shibata International.
The half-day seminar was co-organised by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce's Trade and Product Promotion Department and Asean-Japan Centre.
The department's Deputy Director General, Mr Phouvong Phommabouth addressed the seminar noting that it was the first time for the department and Asean-Japan Centre to launch a handbook of ‘100 Questions and Answers for Trading with Japan'.
“Laos is moving closer towards international trade after the country became a member of the World Trade Organisation, providing us with greater opportunities to promote trade with various countries in the world,” he said.
He said for Laos, with the impending arrival of the Asean Economic Community in 2015, it is a golden chance for the business sector to expand their market share in international markets.
“The department is directly in charge of supporting business sectors to improve the quality of products to meet the demands of export markets. It is offering business sectors information on laws, regulations, steps of trade activity and ways to export the products,” Mr Phouvong said.
A handbook entitled ‘100 Questions and Answers for Trading with Japan' is set to promote further understanding of various fundamental factors of trade, regulations and other related issues.
Government officials and business sectors were invited to the seminar to understand the laws, regulations and process of trading and exporting products to Japan.
At the seminar, another Japanese expert from Pegasus Cargo Services Company Limited also gave advice on exporting to Japan.
vientiane times
