Statement on Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad's Meeting with Members of the Japan Federation of Economic Organisations (Keidanren)

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aziz Pahad will today, Thursday 23rd May 2002 meet with members of the Japan Federation of Economic Organisations (Keidanren) in Tokyo, Japan.

The Deputy Minister will be accompanied by SA's Ambassador to Japan, Krish Mackerdhuj and representatives of the Department of Trade and Industry.

The Japanese Delegation will consist of Satoru Anzaki, President of Komatsu and Chairman of the Keidanren Committee on Sub-Saharan Africa; Katsuhiro Fujiwara, Managing Director of the International Economic Affairs Bureau and the International Cooperation Bureau of Keidanren; Keiichi Nagamatsu, Managing Director of Environment, Science and Technology Bureau and the General Administration Bureau of Keidanren; as well as senior representatives of Nihon Denko, Ito Chu Corporation, and Komatsu.

The Keidanren is a nationwide business association established in August 1946. Its membership includes 1007 of Japan's leading corporations (including 65 foreign firms), as well as 116 industry-wide groups representing major sectors like manufacturing, trade, distribution, finance and energy.

The Deputy Minister will brief the meeting of the developments regarding NEPAD, the massive potential for private sector involvement and the prospects for peace in Angola and the DRC in particular and the region in general. The discussions will centre on South Africa as a politically stable and economically experienced country in which to invest, a country with whom a longstanding partnership can be built.
South Africa is a desirable investment option since:

· It is one of the most open economies in the world, with a low tariff structure and no restrictions on foreign investment;
· It has excellent financial, commercial and transport infrastructure;
· Has a sound regulatory, legal and financial environment;
· Has the world's lowest energy costs;
· Has an abundance of raw material inputs for high value added manufacturing and beneficiation;
· Its trade policy regime has secured excellent market access arrangements with all the major economic regions of the world:
· Free trade agreement with the EU
· Negotiations on free trade agreements with MERCOSUR
· Negotiations on free trade agreements with India
· Negotiations on possible free trade agreements with China
· The Africa Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA)
· SADC Free Protocol.

Further, the Deputy Minister will brief the meeting of deliberations during the SA-Japan Partnership Forum, which is a formal framework for discussion between the two countries to strengthen bilateral and multilateral co-operation and to increase dialogue over a wide range of issues.
A high profile delegation from Keidanren will visit South Africa in December 2002.
For further information contact Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853.
Issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
23 May 2002

SA-JAPAN INVESTMENTS FROM 1 APRIL 1994 to 21 MAY 2002

Year Sector Company Investment
1994 ICT Marubeni Equity in SA ICT company
1994 Metals Sumitomo Corporation Manganese
1994 Mining Mitsubishi/Matsushita Natural stone extraction
1994 Auto Mitsubishi Corporation Colt pick-up assembly
1994 Metals Itochu Corporation Ferromanganese
1995 Metals Tosoh Corporation Manganese
1995 Auto Mitsui & Co., Ltd Equity in Automakers
1995 Auto Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Equity in Automakers
1995 Metals Showa Denko/Marubeni Ferrochrome
1995 Metals Mitsui & Co., Ltd Ferrochrome
1995 Metals Nittetsu Shoji Ferrochrome
1996 ICT Mitsubishi Electric Corp Switchgear, air conditioning
1996 ICT Sony Sales & distribution
1996 Metals Mitsui/Japan Metals & Chem. Manganese and ferroalloys
1996 Metals Nissho Iwai/Nisshin Seiko Ferroalloys
1996 Metals Sumitomo/Mizushima Ferromanganese
1996 Auto Toyota Motor Corporation Equity in Toyota SA
1996 Auto Bridgestone Corporation Purchase of Fedstone
1996 Textiles Sanko Keito/Nagawa Mohair yarn production
1997 Metals Nittetsu Shoji Ferrochrome
1997 Mining Komatsu/Itochu Corp Mining equip & services
1997 Auto Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Equity in Automakers
1997 Auto SM-Cyclo Power Transmission
1997 ICT Sanyo Sales & distribution
1998 ICT Daikin Industries Co., Ltd Air conditioning
1999 Auto Nihon Gaishi [NGK] Catalytic converters
1999 Metals Itochu Corporation Equity in ferrochrome maker
1999 Auto Nissan Motor Co., Ltd Equity in Automakers
2000 Auto Cataler Corporation Catalytic Converters
2000 Auto Calsonic-Kansei Automotive components
2001 Chemicals Sumitomo Chemical Corp Ortho-Creosol-Novolac
2001 Auto Toyota Motor Corporation Equity purchase in TSA
2001 Auto Mitsui & Co., Ltd Capitalizing an autonomous branch
2001 Chemicals Mitsubishi Chemical Acrylic acids & acrylates
2002 Auto Mitsui/Nippon Denko Ferrovanadium
2002 Auto Bridgestone Expansion of SA plants
2002 Auto Araco Corporation Vehicle interiors & seats
TOTAL INVESTED [or commitment announced publicly] TO 31 March 2002 - R6,008-million