Participation in the 6th Japan-Russia Meeting Concerning SME Cooperation - Concurrent networking event between SMEs held -

December 2018

On December 7, JETRO Executive Vice President Yasukazu Irino took part in the 6th Japan-Russia Meeting Concerning SME Cooperation in Khabarovsk, Russia. He introduced JETRO's activities related to Russian SMEs to relevant people in the public and private sectors. In addition, JETRO concurrently held a networking event for Russian and Japanese SMEs under the auspices of the Khabarovsk Krai government.

Mr. Irino participated in a morning joint session which was joined by representatives from the Russian and Japanese public and private sectors. There he introduced activities of JETRO such as individual support through the "Russia Desk" established at the headquarters in Tokyo in December 2016, and as well as his experience in delivering presentations at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and a workshop at the Eastern Economic Forum. He also mentioned that JETRO has set up the Japan Pavilion at the annual international industrial exhibition INNOPROM in Yekaterinburg, Russia for two years in a row, allowing 26 Japanese companies to exhibit.

During an inter-governmental dialogue in the afternoon, the Executive Vice President explained JETRO's support programs geared toward Japanese SMEs aspiring to do business in Russia. First, emphasizing the importance of "knowing” Russia, he introduced JETRO’s magazine "Vladivostok and Khabarovsk Style" and seminars held across Japan (31 over the past two years from October 2016). Support for “going to” Russia included service industry missions sent to the Far East and European Russia. Finally, regarding “meeting” Russian companies, he explained support activities for Japanese companies to participate in international exhibitions such as INNOPROM and WorldFood Moscow, as well as examples of collaboration with six Russian organizations which concluded MOCs with JETRO in order to expand business exchange between the two countries.