Asunción, Agencia IP.- The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Javier Giménez, met with Paraguay’s Ambassador to Japan, Mario Toyotoshi, to discuss the country’s trade situation with Southeast Asian nations, the joint work being carried out by the Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as plans to attract investment in this part of the world.
At the end of the meeting, the diplomat emphasized that Paraguay is experiencing a historic moment in its relationship with Japan and other Asian countries, with concrete progress in attracting investment and opening markets.
He stated that in almost 107 years of relations with Japan, the partnership has been elevated to that of a strategic partner, an honor very few countries of Paraguay’s size enjoy. In Latin America, besides Paraguay, only Peru and Argentina have received this designation, Ambassador Toyotoshi noted, as he reviewed the actions undertaken in the region with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
He affirmed that the presidential trip this past May enabled key progress, such as the arrival of inspectors to review approval processes and Japan’s phytosanitary negotiations.
Toyotoshi also highlighted the impact of Expo Osaka 2025: «More than 3 million people visited our pavilion by the end of August. I don’t think there has ever been an event in our history with so many visitors, especially the majority who didn’t know our country. It’s a great opportunity to make Paraguay known and place it on the map of opportunities,» he stressed.
The ambassador noted that Japanese companies are already showing interest in areas such as food processing for export and local consumption, as well as fertilizers, feed, and meat, sectors considered key for adding value to Paraguayan production.
Regarding the Japanese market, he underlined that Japan has 120 million inhabitants and remains the world’s fourth-largest economy. «Perhaps the most relevant factor in terms of opportunities is that Japan can only produce within its territory 37% of the calories its population requires. We produce enough calories for one hundred million people annually,» he remarked.
He added that Southeast Asian countries also present high potential. «ASEAN is the region that consumes the most food in the world,» he asserted, while reminding that Indonesia has more than 270 million inhabitants and is the largest Halal certification market after the Middle East, which represents a great opportunity for Paraguay.
Finally, he pointed out that other countries within the economic bloc, such as Vietnam and the Philippines, also represent highly important markets and opportunities.
It is worth recalling that the National Service for Animal Health and Quality (Senacsa) announced the opening of the Philippine market for Paraguayan beef, pork, and poultry, demanding imports worth USD 1.6 billion annually in proteins.