Japan seeks JVs with 20 Thai SMEs
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Japanese businesses are looking for joint-venture deals with 20 Thai SMEs who are selected out of a pool of over 100 companies by Japanese specialists to join the Tokyo International Gift Show - the largest international giftand souvenir show in Japan - f
The products to be showcased are lifestyle products such as textiles, furniture and decorative itemsaiming to find potential Japanese partners to help exploit innovative Japanese craftsmanship to create better design, function and quality. Then both sides will together export the products to the world market which is expected to bring in more revenues to both countries.
According to Tetsuo Shibata, director of Trade Cooperation Department, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO Bangkok), said that this is an initiative of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Investment of Japan to assist flood-affected Thai businesses. Under Jetro survey, 39 per cent of the SMEs joining the initiative called Daruma need support in the area of design, 35 per cent in production, and 54 per cent in marketing.
“The products will be manufactured in and exported out of both Thailand and Japan. Under this Thailand-Japan Business Partnership framework, Japan can also seek the possibility to penetrate the new markets with Thai businesses as equal partners. For example, Thai designers have competitive advantages in the EU market these days, so by this business partnership, both Thailand and Japan will enjoy mutual benefits to advance after the previous natural disasters,” concluded Shibata.
Launched in January, the project aims to provide support to Thai SMEs in food product, lifestyle product and hospitality service industries. The food products were promoted at THAIFEX event last May, while the lifestyle products will be presented at Tokyo International Gift Show in September, BIG & BIH in October and international trade shows overseas such as Maison later on, and the hospitality services at World Spa & Well-being Convention 2012 in September and Thailand Health & Beauty Show in July next year.Over one hundred companies from 22 provinces joined the program. The screening criteria is that the businesses should have a potential for success, judging from the feasibility study submitted by the companies and interviews by Japanese specialists.
