Japan’s Hokkaido hopes to intensify economic and tourism ties

Representatives of the Hokkaido-Mongolia economic exchange promotion committee led by the committee’s head Tsutomu Takebe visited Mongolia.

During the visit, they held meetings with high-ranking state officials including the president and the speaker of Parliament to discuss more collaboration opportunities that will promote the committee’s activities and business cooperation between the two countries.

President Kh.Battulga received Takebe on Monday to discuss ways for promoting tourism cooperation between Mongolia and Hokkaido, Japan’s largest and northernmost prefecture.

At the beginning of the meeting, on behalf of the people of Hokkaido, Takebe thanked President Kh.Battulga for his sympathy about the natural disaster that occurred in Hokkaido.

Takebe discussed the development of tourism with the president, and underlined that putting the new international airport being built in Khushig Valley into operation soon will be of significant importance to increasing the number of Japanese tourists heading to Mongolia.

During their meeting, the Japanese delegation talked with the president about intensifying the work to start a tourism skills training program in Hokkaido. The president introduced the Japanese delegates to the country’s tourism policies and they exchanged views on possible tourism projects and programs between Hokkaido and Mongolia.

Takebe is also serving as Mongolia’s honorary consul to Japan’s Sapporo City in Hokkaido.

On the same day, Takebe held a meeting with Speaker of Parliament M.Enkhbold to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries.

Takebe said that he is actively working to ensure the implementation of the economic partnership agreement, and to establish a treaty between Japan and Mongolia on preventing double taxation as soon as possible.

The speaker noted the importance of enhancing the efficiency of the economic partnership agreement, promoting ties between the two countries’ public and private sectors, and improving local cooperation.

The Japanese delegation emphasized that Hokkaido-Mongolia trade and investment forum has taken place three times, which had positive impacts on promotion of business, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.

He noted that in the future, the committee’s operations and vision will focus on specific sectors that will help support bilateral trade and economic cooperation, including tourism.

Takebe highlighted that Mongolia has the competitive potential of tourism, for instance, Mongolia’s traditional nomadic lifestyle could be a key piece of the nation’s tourism industry.

He added that if Mongolia focuses on improving tourist infrastructure facilities and increase its capacity, there will be a lot of opportunities for taking advantage of its tourism potential.

The Japanese delegates stated that as Mongolia’s husbandry sector will make crucial contribution to the nation’s sustainable economic development, the committee will concentrate on expanding bilateral cooperation in the area of husbandry by carrying out joint studies and improving the skills, experience and expertise of livestock experts.

The speaker noted that as Hokkaido’s weather conditions are similar to that of Mongolia, improving mutual cooperation in agriculture and livestock sectors will be important for the two parts.