Strong support from Japanese Prime Minister for WCO capacity building
Tokyo, 3 August 2010
Report
WCO Secretary General, Kunio Mikuriya, met Prime Minister Naoto Kan of Japan on 3 August 2010.
Along with many countries that regard the establishment of a business-friendly environment as one of the key strategies to consolidate economic recovery, the creation of a seamless market has become apriority for Japan's New Growth Strategy. To realize the priority, Japan is actively liberalizing and facilitating trade and investment while protecting the safety and security of its community from illicit trade including counterfeits and piracy.
With the above in mind, the Prime Minister expressed his strong support for the WCO's initiative to enhance market connectivity and improve the capacity of developing countries by promoting and assisting their incorporation into the global market based on the WCO’s "Customs in the 21st Century" vision.
The Secretary General also met Minister of Finance Yoshihiko Noda, Chairman Hiromasa Yonekura of Nippon Keidanren and other political and business leaders.