ISLAMABAD, March 7: A Pakistan-Japan joint business dialogue will start here on Wednesday (March 9) to consider a range of issues for the enhancement of trade and investment between the two countries.

An official announcement on Monday said that over 30 representatives of big Japanese businesses as well as a senior official of the ministry of economy, trade and industry, Akihiko Yamamoto, would participate in the dialogue. The ministry of commerce and the Board of Investment will organize the dialogue.

Some important areas to be discussed in the meeting include trade and investment between Japan and Pakistan, external economic policies of both the countries, economic situation\ reforms and industrial policies in Japan, and promotion of investment.

Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan will chair the opening session, while the subsequent sessions will be chaired by Industries and Production Minister Jehangir Khan Tareen, Board of Investment Chairman Waseem Haqqi, Minister of State for Privatization Umer Ghumman and Commerce Secretary Tasneem Noorani.

"This dialogue is of immense importance for Pakistan following indications by the Japanese government regarding the resumption of yen loan assistance for Pakistan, and Japanese businessmen showing interest in investment/joint ventures in Pakistan.

It would provide an opportunity for our economic ministries to brief Japanese representatives about the transformation of our economy since the last session of the dialogue in September 2001," the announcement added.

Pakistan-Japan relations are multidimensional in nature and have grown rapidly over the years in different sectors. Japan is one of Pakistan's major trading partners. It is the third largest investor (60 per cent of total FDI) in Pakistan after the US (38 per cent) and the UK (23 per cent).