The Japan-Malaysia Invest Symposium was  successfully held on 15 March 2016 at the Sapphire Room of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.  MAJECA was one of the supporting organisations for the event.

With Malaysia’s economic growth in the last decade, JETRO opined that many Malaysian businesses have the capacity to invest in Japan, particularly to penetrate the Japanese market with hosting of the Tokyo Olympics Game in 2020 in Japan.  The purpose of the Symposium was to promote FDI from Malaysia into Japan as a form of enhancing revitalisation of business exchanges between Japan and Malaysia.

The highlight of the Symposium was the sharing of experiences by three Malaysian companies, namely, AirAsia Berhad, Apple Group of Companies and Harq Food Industry Sdn Bhd.   All three companies had gone through JETRO’s Invest Japan Business Support Center (IBSC), a platform to provide one-stop support and service to foreign firms seeking to set-up business in Japan.  The centers, located at JETRO Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe and Fukuoka, are linked into relevant government ministries and agencies, provide free temporary office space, consultation with expert advisors and access to business information in Japan.

a) YBhg Tan Sri Dr Anthony Francis Fernandes, Group CEO, AirAsia Berhad – shared his experiences of setting up Air Asia Japan, initially with ANA.  Air Asia X will be re-entering Japan with 3 other Japanese partners, with new air-routes.

b) YBhg Dato’ Sri Koh Yock Heng, Group MD, Apple Group of Companies – shared his experience of setting up Apple Japan as a tour & travel company.

c) Tuan Hj. Abdul Hamid Hamat, President, Harq Food Industry Sdn Bhd – shared his experience of setting up a Halal Malaysian Restaurant called Wadihana in Kyoto, Japan.

Mr Fukuo Tsubochi, Managing Director of Kaneka (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, shared Kaneka’s experience of setting up business in Malaysia.  The manufacturing plant is located in Gebeng Industrial Area, Kuantan, under the purview of the ECER.  The Kaneka Group of Companies celebrates 20 years of operation in Malaysia in 2016.

In 2016, Kaneka Malaysia Group had grown to become the largest complex plant in the Asian region (except Japan) which consisted of six companies, Kaneka (Malaysia), Kaneka Eperan, Kaneka Paste Polymers, Kaneka Innovative Fibers, Kaneka Apical Malaysia and Kanekalon.  Products include Kane Ace, Eperan, Paste PVC, Futura (FPW), Apical and Graphite sheet.  Kaneka’s marketing office is located in Mid-Valley Center.

The event was attended by more than 250 participants, most of which were Malaysian companies.