“The genuine and caring people of Thailand embrace Japanese culture, society and cuisine and Japanese people reciprocate this interest in Thailand and the Thai people.”
“At the Embassy we run cooking classes for Japanese Ambassador’s Chef in an effort to bring our two countries closer together. Authentic Japanese cuisine can be found in Thailand and this is very much appreciated by the many Japanese and the local folks here.”
Thailand and Japan – Two-way Tourism
“Both countries have a strong interest in further developing their tourism industries and working closer together to increase two-way tourism traffic.”
“The number of Thai tourists to Japan in 2018 has increased by almost four times since Japan relaxed its visa requirements in 2013 (1.13 mil visitors in 2018).”
“Japans’ population is double that of Thailand (the Thai population is around 70 million), which means that Thai people are visiting Japan more frequently than the other way round. Today there are over 73,000 Japanese expats living in Thailand and Japanese people feel very welcome here.”
Challenges and Opportunities
“The ageing population is a challenge being faced by both Japan and Thailand. (The birth rate in Japan has fallen to 1.42 from 1.44 in 2016, whereas the one for Thailand remains at around 1.5.). While this challenge is creating opportunities in the healthcare sector, it is forcing companies to look beyond their borders to attract skilled workers and invest in talent. For example, Both countries need engineers and we want to promote innovation and education to develop tomorrow’s engineers.”
‘Educating a Nation’
“The KOSEN Program, which Japan is implementing in educational establishments in Thailand, aims to provide engineering courses for Thai students.”
“At the embassy we are supporting this program to educate and support future generations of Thai students as they enter the world of work.”
Business and Investment
“The Embassy is actively assisting Japanese start-up companies which want to use Thailand as a springboard to enter international markets. Programs such as ‘Rock Thailand’, ‘Open Innovation Columbus’ and ‘Embassy Pitch’ are bringing companies from Japan and Thailand together and proving to be a huge success in facilitating business.”
“There are more than 6,000 Japanese companies in Thailand and Japan remains the leading foreign direct investor in the country (almost 40 percent). The Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Thailand is one of the largest in the world. While competition from Chinese companies active in Thailand is increasing, Japanese companies are happy to have established their business in Thailand and are using their Thai operations to reach out to regional markets such as India.”
Thailand’s 2019 ASEAN Chairmanship
“With Thailand holding the ASEAN Chairmanship this year, 2019 is an important year for the country. Leaders from across ASEAN are coming to Thailand to discuss the future of the Association and the regional economy.”
The Embassy is actively assisting Japanese start-up companies which want to use Thailand as a springboard to enter international markets. Programs such as ‘Rock Thailand’, ‘Open Innovation Columbus’ and ‘Embassy Pitch’ are bringing companies from Japan and Thailand together and proving to be a huge success in facilitating business.
Shiro Sadoshima, Ambassador of Japan to Thailand
Message to the readers of The Japan Times
“As friendly nations with strong economic ties, we need to do more together for the development of both our people and economies. We look forward to working with our Thai partners as we strengthen our relationship.”
