Japanese geospatial company launches in Laos
Japanese geospatial company launches in Laos
A world leading company in the area of geospatial information, the PASCO Corporation in Japan, has decided to begin operations in Laos, establishing ‘PASCO Lao' in Vientiane.
The ceremony to launch the PASCO Laos subsidiary took place on July 2, attended by the Japanese Ambassador to Lao PDR, Junko Yokota, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, Dr Bounthavy Sisouphanthong, and the Head of Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Sayakane Sisouvong.
Speaking at the ceremony, the President of PASCO Corporation, Mr Yuji Mesaki, said PASCO's business is to acquire geospatial information via the integration of remote sensing and various technologies.
One major aim of the business is to provide clients with value added information to meet their demands through data processing and customisation.
Mr Mesaki said PASCO establishes spa tial information systems to protect people's lives and safety, and contribute to social infrastructure for enriching people's living across the world.
“As the world's leading geospatial company, we would like to further strengthen the global network with the development of the most advanced technology for spatial information. This is our basic strategy,” he said.
“PASCO Lao will be one of the important bases of the world network of our company, which is being established in accordance with our global strategy.”
Mr Mesaki said aerial photo mapping can be utilised as the basis for development plans as well as city planning. In Japan, it is currently being utilised for the resettlement of the area devastated by earthquakes and tsunamis in March 2011.
PASCO Lao is the 5th country among Asean member countries where the company has set up business operations, with a view to 2015, when Asean will be become a single community centred around the three pillars of politics, economy and culture.
Mr Mesaki said PASCO Lao aims to contribute to the development of the Lao PDR in the future, as one of the leading Japanese companies investing in the country.
PASCO Lao is a subsidiary company of the PASCO Corporation of Japan, whose core business is geospatial information, including remote sensing, aerial photo mapping and other technical tasks.
Its new office is located in the Kolao Tower 2, and the company has already recruited 27 new staff and intends to hire another 50 in the near future.
In line with this integration process, Mr Mesaki stressed that the network will be very important among Asean member countries. “We would like to contribute to the acceleration of the integration process by utilising our Asean networks,” he said.
“One of t he most important tasks for the new company is how to train staff, especially how to produce skillful experts to lead the company. It will take a rather considerable period of time to develop our human resources, as we experienced in Thailand. We have been operating in Thailand for over 10 years and we now have some skillful experts there.”
PASCO Corporation was established in 1953 and this year is the 60th anniversary of the company. Its employees now number more than 2,500 and the company is listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
The PASCO Corporation has an international network of overseas subsidiary companies in eight countries including Finland, Belgium, Brazil, USA, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and China.
Also present at the launching ceremony were the Secretary General of the Lao People's Revolutionary Youth Union, Dr Vilayvong Bouddakham, the Chief Representative of JICA Laos Office, Mr KoichiTakei, media and other invited guests.
vientiane times
