Japan is the third largest economy in the world. The Japanese market still has plenty of opportunities to invest in despite its long-standing maturity and the old market. But why and how Japan, the third largest economy in the world, is still attractive to investors and entrepreneurs around the world. One of the reasons is its high domestic market potential. The country’s market is rich in customers with diverse, sophisticated tastes and high turnover. Japan represents one of the strongest buying powers in Asia too. Therefore, joint activities with Japan in the economic, cultural and other fields can be valuable for Iran. Benefiting from Japan’s power in various industrial fields can open doors to the country. It was in this regard that the establishment of a joint committee between Iran and Japan was planned in 2018. Iran-Japan Joint Committee was aimed at providing better and faster service and direct access to Japanese companies for its members. It also facilitated exchange of commercial and industrial information between members. However, due to the great need to improve this relationship, the then president of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture Gholam Hossein Shafei, in a meeting with Yuri Konno, a special advisor to the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated in January 2023 that the committee would soon be upgraded to become a chamber of commerce. Shafei also referred to the Japan’s status in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Iran’s place in the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and stressed that Tehran and Tokyo could cooperate in wide range of areas including, auto making, electric devices, ship building, mining, agriculture and so on.
A few months later, Iran-Japan Chamber of Commerce was established on May 22, 2023 as a national, non-profit and non-governmental organization to pursue the following goals and tasks:
Efforts to expand the communication and relations between the industrial owners and businessmen of Iran and Japan in the field of trade, industry, services, agriculture, mining and other related matters.
Study and review to provide the necessary grounds for industrial and commercial, mining and agricultural investments in the two countries.
Collecting and evaluating statistics, information and other useful materials on the commerce, industry and economy of the two countries and making this information available to Iranian applicants and the other country and cooperating with competent organizations and authorities of Iran and Japan to encourage and develop economic relations between the two countries.
Expanding the exchange of delegations and economic missions between the two countries.
Publication of magazines, books, pamphlets and software, release of information bulletins on the development of economic relations between Iran and Japan, containing the laws and regulations of the two countries and other useful and relevant materials.
Participating in mounting and managing the exhibition and other similar activities within the framework of the laws, and helping Iranian and Japanese institutions, organizations and natural and legal persons interested in participating in international exhibitions held in Iran and Japan.
Holding meetings and conferences on the development of economic relations between the two countries.
Cooperation and cooperation with mutual chambers in the other country.
Efforts to resolve disputes arising from economic relations between natural and legal persons in Iran and the other country through arbitration and, in case of failure, encouraging the parties to resolve their disputes through the Arbitration Center of the Iran Chamber.
Managing the affairs of the Chamber in compliance with the provisions of the statute and with the close cooperation of officials, organizations and institutions of Iran and Japan.
Carrying out other necessary measures to achieve the above goals.