Belgrade and Yokohama strengthen their economic cooperation

BELGRADE - Officials of the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce and the Japanese City of Yokohama said on Thursday they would facilitate cooperation between businesses in the two cities in various fields and the transfer of Japanese technologies to Serbia.

The Yokohama delegation, led by Deputy Mayor Katsonuri Watanabe, visited the Belgrade Chamber of Commerce and learned about the city's potential.

Belgrade Chamber of Commerce General Secretary Ivana Zeljkovic told Tanjug the chamber expected technical support from Japanese experts and opportunities to send Serbian experts, students and businessmen to Yokohama to exchange experiences.

Serbia will soon adopt new laws on labour, privatisation, banrkuptcy and planning and construction, which will allow for an investment boom in Belgrade, Zeljkovic stated at the meeting, calling on companies from Yokohama to invest in Belgrade and Serbia.

Watanabe expects the two cities' chambers of commerce to establish cooperation soon.

Belgrade has a long history and it is a city of great charm and Yokohama would like to establish a cooperation in tourism, he told Tanjug.

Yokohama has plenty of experience in waterworks and sewage treatment, which can be of use to Belgrade, he noted, adding that car manufacturer Nissan was based in Yokohama, and that the city had a well developed machine and IT industries.

Watanabe said he was in Serbia for the first time, that he thought Serbia had excellent fruit, vegetables and meat and that he would point that out to Japanese companies upon return.

The Yokohama delegation arrived in Belgrade on June 24 and is scheduled to stay until June 26.

Screenshot Tanjug video