An exchange conference on economic and trade cooperation between Jinan and Japan is held on Nov 3. [Photo/jinannews.com]

An exchange conference on economic and trade cooperation between Jinan and Japan was held on Nov 3.

The event, featuring both online and offline channels, focused on urban development, investment environment, industries, technology, and industrial park cooperation.

Igawahara Masaru, consul-general of the Japanese consulate in Qingdao, Akinobu Yoshikawa, a representative from the Japan External Trade Organization, and Tsukamoto Takeshi, CEO of Japanese electronics company NEC (China) Co, attended the conference.

Sun Licheng, Party secretary of Jinan, delivers a speech at the conference on Nov 3. [Photo/jinannews.com]

Sun Licheng, Party secretary of Jinan, warmly welcomed guests and highlighted the city's business potential and development objectives during China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025).

He said that Jinan encourages more Japanese enterprises to invest and do business in the city. The city will provide high-quality services for foreign-funded enterprises, optimize its business environment, and push bilateral cooperation.

Igawahara Masaru, consul-general of the Japanese consulate in Qingdao, delivers a speech at the conference on Nov 3. [Photo/jinannews.com]

Igawahara expressed hope that the two sides would take the meeting as an opportunity to further strengthen communication, enhance mutual understanding, and promote cooperation in the fields of finance, commerce, rural revitalization, life science, healthcare, and tourism.

Sun Shutao, mayor of Jinan, delivered a keynote speech and discussed connections between Jinan and Japan in recent years. Jinan has established sister city and cooperative city relations with Wakayama city, Yamaguchi city and Niigata City in Japan since 1980s.

In recent years, cooperation between Jinan and Japan has become increasingly strong. Fortune Global 500 companies such as Sumitomo Corp, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and NEC Corp Software have invested in the city.

To date, Japan has invested in 188 projects in Jinan with a total of $470 million in contracted foreign investment.