TOKYO, March 13: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday urged the Japanese entrepreneurs to take advantage of the conducive atmosphere available in Pakistan for investment.

During his meeting with chief executives of 20 leading companies of Japan here, the President said that he was delighted to be in Japan and interacting with the chief executive officers of the great companies of Japan who are known for their hard work and efficiency.

“Japan is associated with efficiency and quality and we would like to benefit from your experience and expertise,” he said.

He invited Japanese businessmen to come forward and take advantage of Pakistan’s enormous human resource and valuable raw material to develop the country as a hub for industry in the area from where they could re-export the products to west and central Asia.

He urged them to come forward and help in economic revival of Pakistan. He particularly referred to the opportunities available in gas and energy sector and establishment of infrastructure.

The President referred to Pakistan’s efforts to restore peace and stability in Afghanistan and called upon Japanese entrepreneurs to consider investment in the gas pipeline from Turkmenistan.

He said this project would help Pakistan to earn royalty and steady income for its self-sustained growth.

He also invited Japanese entrepreneurs to come to Pakistan and to exploit country’s potential available in information technology sector.

President Musharraf also sought aid from Tokyo and urged Japanese businesses to invest in the country’s economy.

The President met executives of Japan’s three ruling parties in Tokyo and told them he was determined to quell religious extremism and build democracy, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary-General Taku Yamasaki said.

He appealed for Japanese aid to support the development needed to achieve those goals, Yamasaki said.

The Japanese politicians told President Musharraf that Tokyo would not hesitate to cooperate if that would lead to Pakistan’s stable development, Yamasaki added, without going into specifics.

“I’ve come to further strengthen diplomatic and political relations,” President Musharraf later told a group of Japanese business executives, adding he wanted to cement economic ties as well.

“Our policy direction has consistently been market-led and business friendly. We want to encourage investment in Pakistan.”

During a meeting with Japan’s Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry Takeo Hiranuma, President Musharraf urged Japan to help train information technology experts, officials said.

Hiranuma said Japan was willing to cooperate in areas such as human resource development, according to officials. —Agencies