Najib eyeing more Japanese investment
> Look for more opportunities in Malaysia, PM tells captains of industries in Tokyo
TOKYO: After wooing Chinese investors about a fortnight ago, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak is now strengthening the bond with Japanese investors.
He urged Japanese captains of industries to look for more opportunities in Malaysia as the country is undergoing economic transformation programmes towards becoming a high-income nation.
Najib, who is on a three-day working visit to Japan from Tuesday, said opportunities abound in many areas including renewable energy, green technology and high-technology development.
“Some of the areas include renewable energy, green technology, hi-tech development as we move up the value chain ... and wanting to become an advanced economy.
“Malaysia is no longer competing at the level of low technology. We want to move up to ensure our people benefit from higher paying jobs,” he said during a luncheon with the captains of industries, here, yesterday.
Among those present were NEC Corporation chairman Nobuhiro Endo, Mitsubishi Corporation chairman Mikio Sasaki, East Japan Railway Company president and chief executive officer Tetsuro Tomita, Sumitomo Corporation chairman Kazuo Omori, Taisei Construction chairman Takashi Yamauchi, Mitsui Co Ltd CEO Tatsuo Yasunaga, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co CEO Hideichi Okada, Tokyo Gas Co Ltd CEO Michiaki Hitose and IHI Corporation CEO Tsugio Mitsuoka.
Malaysia, Najib said, has benefited from the strong presence of the Japanese in the country for many years with their investments of approximately US$27 billion (RM127.4 billion), which had created over 350,000 jobs.
In 2015, Japan was Malaysia’s fourth largest trading partner globally and continues to be the largest foreign investor in the manufacturing sector with more than 1,400 Japanese companies currently operating in Malaysia. – Bernama