Governorate to host ‘Japanese Village’

The Southern Governorate will host the first Japanese Expo from February 7 to 9 at the Bahrain International Circuit, under the name “Japanese Village”.

The head of Bahrain-based Business and Friendship Association Nasser Al Arayed said trade exchange between Bahrain and Japan exceeded $ 1.2 billion annually, according to the latest statistics published in 2015.

Mr Al Arayed said that the diplomatic relations between Japan and the Kingdom of Bahrain date back to 1934 when Bahrain’s first shipment of oil was sent to Japan following the discovery of oil in Bahrain in 1932, and the number of Japanese citizens living in Bahrain now stands at around 250.

Mr Al Arayed explained that Japanese companies have completed many projects in Bahrain, including the petrochemical, aluminium, gas and telecommunications industries. Recently, projects have been held, such as the steel plant project, which will be based in Haddad. According to the head of the Bahraini-Japanese Business and Friendship Association, the number of Japanese companies having offices in Bahrain is 16; five companies operate in the financial sector, three in the commercial sector and eight in the industrial sector.

Fatima Al Ghatam, director of social and community programmes in the Southern Governorate, said: “The Japanese village will be held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali Al Khalifa, Governor of the Southern Province.”