Japan to invest in EEC, support Thailand 4.0 Policy

BANGKOK, June 15 (TNA) - Many Japanese firms have expressed their interest in expanding their investment projects to Thailand, especially in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and have agreed on working together in industrial innovations based on the Thailand 4.0 Policy. Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana told journalists of the update, after leading a Thai delegation to visit Japan during June 10-13. Uttama said he emphasized on the Thai government-supported EEC Project while delivering a speech at the 24th International Conference on the Future of Asia (Nikkei Forum) in Tokyo on June 12, during which he also briefed the participants on progress of the EEC Project to build up confidence among more Japanese investors who would expand their investment into the EEC. Uttama stated that Ryoki Tool Co., Ltd., a producer of aerospace tooling with the largest market share in Japan, and Nachi Fujikochi Corporation, a dealer of robot wrists, have expressed their interest in establishing an aircraft maintenance and in expanding their investment in the production of robot wrists in the EEC and other Thai areas respectively. Uttama revealed that he also invited more Japanese investors to expand their investment to the EEC while organizing an investment seminar in Japan's Toyama Prefecture, in which major machinery, medical, pharmaceutical and automobile and parts industries are located, acknowledging that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Toyama appeared to be also interested in expanding their investment projects in Thailand. Besides, the Toyama Prefecture also agreed on jointly promoting tourism-related businesses with the Thai side, including his ministry's Creative Industry Villages (CIVs) in several Thai provinces, while the Toyama Prefecture's tourism will also be promoted by Thailand. According to the Thai industry minister, he also met with Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)Hiroshige Seko, who promised to support the establishment of the 11 additional Industry Transformation Centers (ITCs) in Thailand under the supervision of his ministry's Department of Industrial Promotion. In addition, METI and the Thai Industry Ministry signed a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) on the smart industrial safety system in Thailand, under which METI will support the transfer of advanced digital technology for the development of the safety & maintenance system towards the Thai industry 4.0, covering the artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of things (IOT) and the Big Data systems. The minister told reporters that he also met with Chairman of the Japan-Thailand Economic Cooperation Society (JTECS) Takeshi Uchiyamada, who pledged to support the Thai robotic and automation, industry, where personnel will also be trained. During his four-day stay in Japan, there was also an agreement on the joint establishment of a new consortium between METI, JTECS and the Bangkok-based Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) for the Japanese side and the Thai Industry Ministry and the Technology Promotion Association (TPA) for the Thai side, with a joint operational plan set to be worked out within the next two weeks, and an agreed cooperation between the Thai Industry Ministry and the Japanese Organization for SMEs and Regional Innovation on the second-phase T-GoodTech Project, under which Thai and Japanese SMES will connect with each other through the Internet system. (TNA)