Japan, Malaysia Must Work Even Closer To Elevate Industrial Cooperation -- Envoy

KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 (Bernama) -- Japan and Malaysia must work even more closely to elevate industrial cooperation, seize new opportunities and build resilience in an uncertain global environment.

Ambassador to Malaysia Noriyuki Shikata highlighted that this is premised on the diplomatic relations between Japan and Malaysia.

“Our collaboration in the electrical and electronics sector is a standout example, with 1,400 projects and 280,000 jobs created for Malaysians by 2025,” he said in his speech at the Japan-Malaysia Semiconductor Business Networking event today, organised by the Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro).

He emphasised that many Japanese companies are not only investing but also nurturing local talent, strengthening supply chains and enriching Malaysia’s industrial ecosystem.

“And within the ‘POWERR Asia’ initiative announced by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on April 15, semiconductors are rightly recognised as the brain of a resilient, autonomous Asian supply chain.

“Its importance to Asia and to the world is only growing,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) chief executive officer Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid said in a world that is fragmenting, partnerships matter more than ever, and Japan has a particular role to play in this next chapter.

He said Japan brings depth in front-end equipment, materials, precision components, and a position in the global supply chain that few others can match.

“As Malaysia moves into wafer fabrication and advanced packaging, Japanese companies are the natural partners to grow.

“Our governments are moving in the same direction. The political will is there. What is needed now is more projects, more deals, and more people moving between our two countries,” Sikh Shamsul added.

-- BERNAMA