Ergun invites japanese companies to invest in Turkey

Science, Industry and Technology Minister Nihat Ergun, who is currently on a visit to Japan to give information on Turkey’s new incentive package, has been attracting attention of huge  Japanese companies. Japanese Businessmen’s Association Chairman Kazuaki Kama said that Turkey’s new incentive package which has caused excitement would allow Japanese  investments to increase. Speaking on the nuclear power plant project totaling $20 billion which was initiated by Turkey in China, South Korea and Canada, Toshiba CEO Norio Sasaki said  that his company was the most ambitious one in the process. Fujitsu Chairman Takana Katayama also said that they were willing to benefit from Turkey as a supply center for emerging  markets, and make investments particularly in the information area. For his part, Ergun, who has invited CEOs of 20 companies from Japan to invest in Turkey, said that there was a slow  process of cooperation due to red tape in Japan and that this should be accelerated. "During our contacts here, we could learn about the psychological situation of great Japanese firms.  Now we will determine a new direction." Ergun also held a meeting with executives of the Japanese Association of Automotive Sub-Industrialists, during which he said that Japanese  companies could invest in Turkey without a big partner and reiterated that Office of the Prime Minister, Investment Agency was responsible for bringing together Turkish and Japanese  firms and work as a mediator with regard to establishing cooperation. "In Africa, Iraq and South America, the Japanese partner firms act backwardly in terms of opening abroad. They need  to be encouraged," Ergun added.