PEZA highlights investment mission to Japan 

In conjunction with the Philippine Economic Briefing in Tokyo (with the theme "PH On-the-Go: Accelerating Economic Progress”) as conducted by the Economic Managers last June 21, PEZA held a separate investment forum for Japanese companies in Osaka and Tokyo and some B2B meetings from June 17- 21.

This third PEZA investment mission to Japan for the year was organized by the Science Park of the Philippines, Inc. (SPPI)—a pioneer and leading ecozone developer in the country through its cutting-edge brand of industrial estates under PEZA such as Light Industry Science Parks I - IV, Hermosa Ecozone Industrial Park and Cebu Light Industrial Park. SPPI is partners with top-notch Sasaki Associates for the ecozone design and masterplanning, and Sojitz Corporation for marketing services.

SPPI collaborated with the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry to bring about more than 100 participants at the Osaka and Tokyo investment seminars. PEZA likewise mobilized its private investment promotion partners, namely Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), Fair Consulting Group and Tokyo Kiraboshi Financial group for the meetings with their respective clients—prospective Japanese investors and existing locators with expansion projects. The PEZA briefings and B2B meetings drew participants from companies into electronics, automotive, aviation, steel manufacturing, agro-processing, IT-BPM services, renewable energy and construction—including government organizations like Tokyo SME Support Center, JETRO and ASEAN-Japan Centre.

From the mission’s generated FDI leads, at least 5 Japanese companies are now conducting due diligence for their proposed ecozone project in the Philippines. These specific activities include manufacturing and assembly of a jet bridge, smart parking structure and submersible pump for waste water treatment, digital health back office support, solar energy development, agro-processing and food export cargo logistics.

In Tokyo, PEZA and SPPI had a dialogue with the SMBC top executives handling Asia-Pacific Region on how to attract more Japanese companies to set up facilities in the Philippine ecozones. This is to take advantage of Japan’s status as our country’s 2nd largest trading partner and 3rd biggest source of approved investments in 2023. The recent trilateral agreement among the US, Japan and the Philippines in support of the Luzon Economic Corridor as well as the US CHIPS and Science Act also present opportunities for Japanese big corporations, SMEs and contractors to invest in the Philippines in the areas of semi-conductor/electronics manufacturing , agribusiness, clean energy, digitalization and infrastructure development (i.e., rail and port modernization, EMS/SMS supply chain).

As for the Philippine Economic Briefing in Tokyo, DTI Secretary and PEZA Board Chairman Alfredo Pascual led the economic team of OSAPEIA, DOF, NEDA, DBM, BSP and Office of the National Treasurer in the dialogue with some of PEZA’s big-ticket investors such as Murata, MinebeaMitsumi, Mitsubishi, Sumitomo and Marubeni. Many ecozone locator companies were also in attendance in the said briefing and greatly appreciated the Economic Managers’ encouraging updates on the Philippine economy as well as the many investment and trade opportunities for Japanese businesses.

We thank OSAPEIA, DOF/BSP and DTI-PTIC Tokyo for highlighting the PEZA investment promotion video (the lone AVP played) during the economic briefing in Tokyo, and PTIC Osaka for gracing our investment seminar in Osaka with Commercial Representative Michael Ignacio delivering the Opening Remarks. We are most grateful for this PEZA investment mission collaboration with SPPI and its CEO Richard Osmond, in his capacity also as the President of the Philippine-Japan Business Council.

In PEZA, the Japanese 805 RBEs remain ‘ichiban’ or topmost long-term investor accounting for 28% share of our total approved ecozone investments, and contributing more than PhP 500 Billion investments, US$ 16 Billion exports, and 300,000 direct employment as of 2023.