Dubai and Japan to strengthen robust economic relationship

Dubai International Chamber (DIC), one of the three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, has enhanced its growing presence in Asia with the official launch of a new international representative office in Japan.

Located in Tokyo, the office further strengthens the emirate’s robust economic relationship with Japan and will facilitate the growth of business, trade, and investments between the two markets.

The office was officially inaugurated on Wednesday evening during a special ceremony in Tokyo with the participation of Ishii Taku, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry; Shihab Al Faheem, the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Japan; and Salem Al Shamsi, Vice President of Global Markets at Dubai Chambers, together with distinguished representatives of the Japanese business community.

The Tokyo office is the Chamber’s 27th representative office globally and was launched as part of the ‘Dubai Global’ initiative, which seeks to attract new business, investment, and talent to the emirate while enabling Dubai-based companies to expand into priority international markets. Launched by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, Dubai Global aims to establish a powerful network of 50 representative offices around the world by 2030.

Commenting on the significance of the launch, Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, said: “Establishing a presence in Japan represents a significant step in our global expansion strategy and will further strengthen our shared economic ties. This move not only builds on the progress we have achieved through our international representative offices across the five continents, but it also creates an essential platform to build cross-border partnerships with one of the world’s most sophisticated economies.”

The Tokyo office will serve to enhance and diversify the economic relationship between Dubai and Japan, exploring exciting opportunities in various priority sectors. The Dubai International Chamber team will provide on-ground support to members of the Japanese business community interested in doing business in Dubai, as well as build strong relationships with key public and private sector stakeholders.

The new office will showcase Dubai’s competitive advantages and share investment intelligence to support Japanese companies seeking to enter Dubai and expand internationally through the emirate, connecting businesses in both markets with trusted stakeholders and potential partners.

Japan was ranked as Dubai’s seventh-largest trading partner globally last year, with the value of bilateral non-oil trade between the two markets reaching a total of Dhs 38.8 billion (US$ 10.5 billion) in 2022. A total of 74 new Japanese companies registered as members of Dubai Chamber of Commerce during the first eight months of 2023. This represents an impressive YoY growth of 222 per cent compared to the same period in 2022, underlining Dubai’s growing connections with the business community in Japan.

Dubai’s strategic location and world-class logistics facilities have established the emirate as a preferred trade hub for Japanese companies with global ambitions. Offering easy access to over 2.2 billion consumers, the emirate serves as a gateway for businesses in Japan and the wider East Asian region looking to expand their international footprints.

Dubai International Chamber one of three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, was established to promote Dubai as a global business hub, attract multinational companies and expand the emirate’s trade ties with promising markets. The Chamber has a mandate to meet His Highness Sheikh Mohammed’s ambition to increase Dubai’s foreign trade from Dhs1.4 trillion to Dhs2 trillion by 2026.