YANGON, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The current visit to Myanmar of Japanese Deputy Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroyuki Ishige has marked a new height of economic and trade cooperation between Myanmar and Japan.

    The visit of Ishige, who was received by Myanmar Prime Minister General Thein Sein Tuesday, represented another high-level one to Nay Pyi Taw of Japan during this year after that of Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Kenichiro Sasae in June.

    Ishige's visit also came more than a month after the Economic Cooperation Committees of the Union of Myanmar Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) and the Japan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) met in Yangon in November to seek ways of boosting trade and investment between the two countries.

    The 7th joint meeting of the economic cooperation committees of the UMFCCI and JCCI discussed economies of Myanmar and Japan and further cooperation between the two major business organizations.

    Meanwhile, the Myanmar industrial authorities are also working together with Japanese entrepreneurs in quality garment production to boost the export to Japan as well as to expand its foreign market.

    The Japanese entrepreneurs include those of JETRO, Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS) and Juki Corporation.

    These organizations have been providing for Myanmar staff at all-level training related to management, production and human resources since February this year.

    Myanmar's garment export to Japan has been increasing annually and during last year, the export hit 135 million U.S. dollars, up 38 million dollars compared with 2007.

    Japan takes up one third of Myanmar's garment export standing as Myanmar's largest garment exporting country, followed by England, Germany and Spain, according to statistics.

    In the latest development, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) has planned to inject investment in Myanmar's industrial sector as the first Japan-Mekong investment business mission and their first business meeting was held in Yangon last week.

    JETRO's investment in Myanmar covers motor car spare parts manufacturing, food, garment and agricultural production.

    According to compiled statistics, Japan's total investment in Myanmar so far amounted to 216.76 million U.S. dollars in 23 projects since 1988, accounting for 1.37 percent of Myanmar's total foreign investment and taking the 12th position.

    The bilateral trade between the two countries stood at 341.8 million U.S. dollars in the 2008-09 fiscal year, of which Myanmar's export to Japan amounted to 179.6 million dollars with Japan ranking the 6th in Myanmar's exporting countries line-up. Myanmar's import from Japan took in 162.2 million dollars.

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